Resources

Disability Law Service

dls.org.uk
02077919800

Disability Law Service is a unique charity that has been providing free legal advice and representation for disabled people since 1975.  They work to challenge the poverty and inequality faced by those with disabilities by securing for them access to justice and to their legal rights.

All the people that DLS helps are disabled people, or family members or carers who are contacting them on the disabled person’s behalf.

Whether by helpful advice over the phone, the provision of online fact-sheets or full representation at tribunal, they provide a vital service to some 4,000 people each year, many of whom are in distress as a result of discrimination or improper care.

Citizens Advice Bureau

www.citizensadvice.org.uk
03444 111 444

The Bureau aim to provide the advice people need for the problems they face and improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives.

They provide free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on a variety of issues such as their rights, money, benefit, housing or employment problems.

You may be facing a crisis, or just considering your options. Local Citizens Advice offer advice from over 3,500 locations. These include high streets, community centres, doctors’ surgeries, courts and prisons. Advice may be given in person or by phone. Most local Citizens Advice can arrange home visits and some provide email advice. Some are also piloting the use of text, web chat and webcams.

Volunteering Matters

volunteeringmatters.org.uk
020 3780 5870

Britain’s largest volunteer organisation, which provides opportunities for people with disabilities and learning difficulties to take part in a number of projects.

Volunteering Matters run over 180 UK volunteering programmes which engage people of all ages to support the most vulnerable in their community. They have projects run by and for disabled people, families and older people and our projects suit you whether you’re looking for part-time volunteering, full-time volunteering or event corporate volunteering.

Simply put your postcode into their opportunity finder on their website, to filter volunteering opportunities across the UK and find one close to you. You can filter by how much time you have to spare and what you feel passionate about.

Mental Health Foundation

www.mentalhealth.org.uk
020 7803 1100

The Mental Health Foundation is the UK’s charity for everyone’s mental health. The Mental Health Foundation leads the search for solutions based on evidence and practice that work in the real world.

People with disabilities, including learning disabilities, are more likely than most to develop mental health problems. Through the Foundation for People with Disabilities, which is part of the Mental Health Foundation, we have a long record of working with people with disabilities to identify and deliver the support they need to prevent mental health problems from developing, to address issues and inequalities, such as hate crime, that create distress and to develop mental health solutions that work for them and their families.

They deliver programmes, training and guidance that help to prevent mental health problems and support good mental health. They focus on issues that create high risks and know that mental health matters to us all, throughout our lives.

Headway UK

www.headway.org.uk
0808 800 2244

Headway is the UK-wide charity that works to improve life after brain injury. Through its network of more than 125 groups and branches across the UK, it provides support, services and information to brain injury survivors, their families and carers, as well as to professionals in the health and legal fields.

One of Headways key aims is to increase awareness and understanding of brain injury and its consequences and initiate activities and campaigns which will reduce the incidence of brain injury.

On a national level, Headway provides a range of frontline services to help those affected by brain injury and their families and carers, including; a Freephone helpline, a wide range of information through award-winning publications and websites, a Brain Injury Identity card and a network of more than 125 groups and branches that provide physical, cognitive and social rehabilitation and support to individuals and families.

The UK Acquired Brain Injury Foundation

www.ukabif.org.uk
0845 608 0788

The UKABIF aims to help people with acquired brain injury have early access to good quality local, specialist rehabilitation and follow up services in the community if they are needed. They do this by supporting people with brain injury and their carers have access to all the information they need about brain injury.

We also provide educational opportunities through our annual conferences and workshops; attend and exhibit at relevant Brain Injury Conferences; use our Website and Social Media to raise awareness of acquired brain injury; produce information and networking opportunities for our members; use the Media to raise awareness and aim to influence policy and commissioning.

Acquired Brain Injury Forum for London (ABIL)

www.abil.co.uk
contact-us@abil.co.uk

ABIL is a group of front-line professionals, policy makers, survivors of acquired brain injury and relatives and carers working to advance the brain injury agenda across London.

Some of their aims are to raise awareness of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) across London and encourage the development and dissemination of good practice in the care and support of ABI survivors and their families and carers across London. They also campaign for better services for ABI survivors and their families and carers across London.

To do this, ABIL organise meetings on a range of topics of interest to people working in the field of brain injury in London – this enables people to hear about interesting work and share good practice, and also to meet and network informally.