Subject - Contacting the Benefits Service – if you live in north Manchester

Posted : (Thursday 24th April 2008 ) By - Jane (Registered User)

For queries about your benefit:
Write to us: The Revenues and Benefits Unit, PO Box 3, Manchester, M15 5BA
Phone us: Our phone number is 0161 219 6100 (Monday to Friday 8.45 am to 5 pm)
Textphone (for callers with hearing difficulties who have textphones): 0161 953 8301
Make an appointment for advice:
Phone us for an appointment to see an adviser at our customer counter at Customer Services, Level 1, Town Hall Extension, or at a benefit enquiries session at seven libraries across the city and a housing office. You must make an appointment beforehand to see an adviser (except for handing in forms at the customer counter). If it’s an emergency, you can call in at the customer counter, but we may not be able to see you on the same day.

Appointments at the counter are between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday. Below are the appointment times at benefit enquiries sessions (you must make an appointment):

Northwards Housing Local Services Office (549 Cheetham Hill Road, M8) - Thursdays, 10 am to 4.30 pm

Miles Platting Library (Varley Street, M40) - Mondays, 10 am to 4.30 pm

North City Library (Rochdale Rd./Moston Lane, M9) - Tuesdays, 10 am to 4.30 pm

Crumpsall Library (Abraham Moss Centre, M8) - Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 am to 3 pm

To make an appointment, phone 0161 234 3695 between 8 am and 5 pm,
Monday to Friday.

You can fill in a form for an appointment using the internet, on our website atwww.manchester.gov.uk/benefits/appointment We
will then phone you to arrange it.

You can also make an appointment (and hand in filled-in claim forms and get evidence checked) by calling at our reception counter at Customer Services, Level 1, Town Hall Extension, open between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

If you have difficulty getting in to see us for an appointment, we may be able to arrange a home visit.

E-mail us: benefit.enquiries@manchester.gov.uk
Fax us: 0161 455 1130
To report fraud: Benefit Fraud Hotline - Freephone 0800 783 9668

For a pre-tenancy determination (PTD) application form
This is to find out (before you sign for a tenancy) how much of the rent will count when we work out Housing Benefit. You can only get a PTD if a private landlord owns the property. The PTD will help you decide whether you can afford the rent the landlord is charging. You can get a PTD form from our Customer Services counter (you don’t need an appointment to pick one up) or by phoning 0161 455 1010. You will still need to fill in a Housing Benefit claim form if you take the tenancy and want to claim benefit to help with your rent.

Our ‘designated offices’ for receiving benefit claims and for you to tell us about changes that may affect your benefit are: The Revenues and Benefits Unit, PO Box 3, Manchester M15 5BA
(for posting claims or details of changes to us) and the
offices listed below (for handing in claims or to call in to report changes). You need an appointment at our reception counter at Customer Services in the Town Hall Extension to report a change, but you can just call in to hand in your claim.

For benefit claim forms: You can get a claim form by writing, phoning, emailing or faxing us.

Or you can pick one up from your local library, from our customer counter, level 1, Town Hall Extension, or from one of the offices in the list below. You don’t need an appointment. You can also make a claim online atwww.manchester.gov.uk/benefits/claim

To hand in filled-in claim forms and get your evidence checked and copied: call at the following offices. You don’t need an appointment. You will get a receipt for your filled-in form.

Adactus Housing Association (only for their own tenants) (Varley Street Office, Miles Platting, M40 8EE): Monday to Friday - 9am until 5pm

Northwards Housing Local Services Office (549 Cheetham Hill Road, Cheetham, M8 9NW): Tuesday and Friday, 10am until 12noon

Collyhurst Local Services Office (35-39 Southchurch Parade, M40 7GE): Tuesday and Friday, 10am until 12noon

Crumpsall Library (Abraham Moss Centre, 140 Crescent Road, M8
5UF): Monday and Wednesday, 9am until 7.30pm; Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 9am until 4.30pm; Closed on Thursdays

Customer Services Counter (Level 1, Town Hall Extension, M60 2JR): Monday to Friday, 8am until 5pm

Miles Platting Library (Varley Street, M40 8EE): Monday, Friday and Saturday, 10am until 4.30pm; Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, 10am until 7.30pm

Northwards Housing Local Services Office (1 Monsall Street, Collyhurst, M40 8QZ): Tuesday and Friday, 10am until 12noon

New Moston Library (Nuthurst Road, M40 3PJ): Monday and Wednesday, 10am until 7.30pm; Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 10am until 4.30pm

Newton Heath Library (Old Church Street, M40 2JB): Monday and Wednesday, 10am until 1pm and 2pm until 7.30pm; Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 10am until 4.30pm

North City Library (Rochdale Road (junction with Moston Lane)
Harpurhey, M9 4AF): Monday to Thursday, 9am until 7pm; Friday and Saturday 9am until 4pm

Northwards Housing Local Services Office (White Moss Road, Blackley, M9 6NZ): Tuesday and Friday, 10am until 12noon