Our Partners

What is the Advice Line?

The deafPLUS Advice Line is the only national helpline in the UK that is accessible to Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users. We use popular technologies like Skype and FaceTime to deliver advice on a range of social welfare, money and consumer issues. This is to ensure that each client can fully participate in any assessment which is being made on their behalf, understand their civil rights and participate in the conversation about what services they need to access, allowing for them to make informed choices.

The deafPLUS Advice Line enables Deaf clients to sign “face to face” with a trained advisor, who is also a native BSL user, using an online video platform they are already familiar with. We also offer advice by email for deaf clients who do not use BSL, to ensure that the service is accessible to everyone. Our advisors deliver a significant amount of offline case work and support, moving cases forward on clients' behalf. Our infoHUB contains advice related information in BSL video and plain English text that clients can access directly.

Why partner with the Advice Line?

deafPLUS will help you improve the accessibility of your service for deaf people via seamless signposting to the deafPLUS Advice Line. We will support your client directly, and handle any offline casework that is necessary. We will keep you informed about progress, and may ask you to facilitate the casework where appropriate (i.e. scanning documents over to us, for example).

If you are interested or would like to find out more, please contact us at adviceline@deafplus.org

Thank you to all of our partners:

	DeafAction is a deaf-led charity that has been working for an equal and better future for deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people since 1835. It is part of the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 Partnership, a consortium of organisations funded by the Scottish Government to support public bodies in fulfilling their obligations under the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015.
	Citizens Advice East End are an independent, local charity working in Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets and members of the national Citizens Advice network. They provide free advice, information and advocacy to help people resolve the problems they face. They help with problems involving welfare benefits, housing, debt, money management, employment, immigration, consumer, and family and personal issues.
	Citizens Advice Westminster was one of the very first bureau founded in 1939. From its origins an emergency service during the second World War, we have evolved as a frontline providing essential advice and information services to those living in Westminster and surrounding areas.
	Founded in 1940, we provide the advice people need for the problems they face and improve the policies and practices that affect their lives. We provide free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. We value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination.
	For over 55 years Citizens Advice Basingstoke has provided support to those in need in their local community. With their help, individuals and families have been able to keep food on the table, remain safe and warm in their homes, and feel secure in their jobs. Their service is constantly evolving to meet the needs of our clients.
	Helping the people of Fareham since 1942 with impartial, independent advice on money, debt, housing, consumer problems, family & relationship issues, employment worries and more.
	Citizens Advice Hart provide Hart’s Citizens with free, impartial and confidential advice. They aim to ‘Make a Difference’ to those most in need – whoever they are. They help people overcome their problems and campaign on big issues when their voices need to be heard.
	Citizens Advice Rushmoor offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information services. We also provide telephone and email services. We deliver in different locations in the community to meet client needs, and are always working to improve our service, as well as address bigger problems for everyone through our research and campaigns work.
	Citizens Advice Test Valley provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. It values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. The service aims to provide the advice people need for the problems they face to improve the policies and practices that affect people's lives.
	Citizen Advice East Hampshire provides free, confidential and impartial advice and campaign on big issues affecting people's lives. Their goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever problem they face. They are an independent charity and part of the Citizens Advice network across England and Wales.
	MAT National Debtline offers practical self-help – empowering people in debt to speak to creditors directly and put solutions in place to resolve their debt problems.
	Camden Disability Action is a user-led organisation which aims to promote the equality of deaf and disabled people living or working in Camden. It was set up by deaf and disabled people in May 2015 to remove barriers that prevent us having full choice and control over our lives.
	Shelter is the housing and homelessness charity. They help millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness, through advice, representation, support and campaigning.
	The Community Advice and Law Service (CALS) aims to provide a free, independent, confidential and quality assured advice service to residents of Leicester and Leicestershire. The services CALS provides seek to promote self-help where appropriate and offer casework support for those individuals who are unable to manage the matter themselves.
	National Energy Action (NEA) work across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and with sister charity Energy Action Scotland, to ensure that everyone can afford to live in a warm, dry home. In partnership with central and local government, fuel utilities, housing providers, consumer groups and voluntary organisations, NEA undertake a range of activities to address the causes and treat the symptoms of fuel poverty.
	UK Power networks owns and maintains electricity cables and lines across London, the South East and East of England making sure your lights stay on.  They maintain and upgrade power equipment. They move and connect new electricity cables.