Subject - Contacting the Benefits Service – if you live in south 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 8.45am to 5pm)
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 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 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Below are the appointment times at benefit enquiries sessions (you must make an appointment):

Chorlton Library (Manchester Road, M21): Thursdays, 10am to 4.30pm

Withington Library (410 Wilmslow Road, M20): Mondays, 10am to 4.30pm

Wythenshawe Forum Library (Forum Square, M22): Wednesdays 10am to 4.30pm and Fridays, 10am to 3pm

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

You can fill in a form for an appointment using the internet, on our website at www.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 8am and 5pm, 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) (2 Great Southern Street, Moss Side, M14 4EZ): Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm

Alexandra Road Local Services Office (130 Alexandra Road, Moss Side, M16 7WD): Tuesday and Thursday, 10am until 12noon

Chorlton Library (Manchester Road, M21 1PN): Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9am until 7.30pm; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 9am until 4.30pm

Southway Housing Trust (only for their own tenants) (13 Copson Street, Withington, M20 3HE): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10am until 4pm; Wednesday 10am until 1pm

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

Manchester Methodist Housing Association (only for their own tenants) (Southern Gate, 729 Princess Road, West Didsbury, M20 2LT): Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm

Mosscare Housing Association (only for their own tenants) (101 Great Western Street, Moss Side, M14 4AA): Tuesday 11.30am until 12.30pm; Wednesday 1.30pm until 4.30pm and Thursday 11.30am until 12.30pm

Parkway Green Housing Trust (Parkway Green House, Palatine Road (next to the Britannia Hotel) M22 4DJ (Wythenshawe)): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8.30am until 4pm

Parkway Green Housing Trust (Bowland Road Local Services Office 137 Bowland Road, M23 1LE (Wythenshawe)): Wednesday 8.30am until 2pm

People First Housing Association (only for their own tenants) (179 Royce Road, Hulme, M15 5TJ): Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm

Places for People (only for their own tenants) (8th floor, Paragon House, Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, M16 0LN): Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm

Willow Park Housing Trust (Benchill Office, 34 Benchill Road, M22 9UF): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am until 5pm; Wednesday 9am until 2pm

Willow Park Housing Trust (Cedars Office, Poundswick Lane, M22 9HH): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am until 5pm; Wednesday 9am until 2pm

Willow Park Housing Trust (Portway Office, 294 Portway, M22 1TG (Wythenshawe)): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am until 5pm; Wednesday 9am until 2pm

Withington Library (410 Wilmslow Road, M20 3BN): Monday to Wednesday 10am until 7.30pm; Thursday 10am until 12.30pm; Friday and Saturday 10am until 4.30pm

Wythenshawe Forum Library (Forum Square, M22 5RX): Monday to Thursday 9am until 8.30pm; Friday and Saturday 9am until 4.30pm