Other help and advice if you are rough sleeping
Home-Link
Home-Link is the choice based lettings system used in West Suffolk. Applications to access standard social housing need to be made through Home-Link.
Mental health
- Samaritans - Phone: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org
- Suffolk Wellbeing service - visit: Wellbeing Norfolk and Suffolk or phone: 0300 123 1503
Substance misuse
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in Suffolk - visit: AA In Suffolk
- Christians Against Poverty Fresh Start programme - contact Graham Jack, phone: 07716942381 or email: grahamjack@capuk.org
- Narcotics Anonymous - visit: UKNA - Narcotics Anonymous in the United Kingdom
- Turning Point
- visit: Turning Point - Suffolk Drug and Alcohol Service
- Address: 2 Looms Lane, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1HE
- phone 01284 766554 or 0300 123 0872
- email: Suffolk@turning-point.co.uk
- self-referral form: Turning Point - online referral tool
- Suffolk recovery network, run by Turning Point, is the integrated substance misuse service for the county, with a hub in Bury St Edmunds (outreach appointments are available at other locations once you are assessed and engaging with your key worker). They work with anyone who is affected by drugs or alcohol and wants support to make changes. Services available include:
- advice and guidance
- family support
- group work
- harm reduction and needle exchange
- outreach prescribing services
- referral for rehabilitation and detoxification
- specialist services for young people and pregnant women, information and signposting.
- Our specialist substance misuse worker works closely with Turning Point to secure support for our rough sleepers.
Supported housing
If you feel you would benefit from housing with additional support, you can make an application via Suffolk County Council for supported housing. Suffolk County Council manage the vacancies for supported housing providers throughout Suffolk. An agency, friend or family member can help you make a referral or make a referral on your behalf if you give consent for this to happen.
Visit: Suffolk County Council - Housing Related Support Application
Finances, debt and benefits
- Turn to us offer a simple benefits calculator to help you work out what you may be entitled to visit: Turn2us - Tackling Financial Insecurity Together or entitledto - Benefits Calculator
- Government information on the benefit Universal Credit, website: GOV.UK - Universal Credit: What Universal Credit is
- Citizens Advice West Suffolk
Citizens Advice can offer advice on issues including legal matters, debt, housing, benefits, employer, family and consumer rights.
Local centres are in Bury St Edmunds, Brandon, Haverhill and Mildenhall.
visit: Citizens Advice West Suffolk or phone: 0300 330 1151 - Christians Against Poverty offer help with debt management
visit: CAP UK - Debt help
Emergency food
- West Suffolk has several voluntary organisations who provide emergency food bags for those in need. Referrals to local food bank services can be arranged via agencies such as the Job Centre, the CAB, outreach teams, health visitors and other statutory and voluntary organisations.
- The Bury Drop in offers homeless and vulnerable people free drinks, meals and advice twice a week at the Trinity Methodist Church. Workers from support services attend the drop-in, including the health outreach team, and are available for advice. The drop-in runs on Tuesday’s and Friday’s from 11am- 2pm at Trinity Methodist Church, Brentgovel Street, Bury St Edmunds. Email: admin@burydropin.org
Employment and volunteering
- Job Centre Plus
- Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), Income Support, Incapacity Benefit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) phone: 0800 169 0310
- Universal Credit phone 0800 328 9344
- Find a job service: GOV.UK - Find a job
- Job Club via vineyard church email: info@wsvc.org.uk phone: 01284 765874 website: West Suffolk Vineyard Church
How you can help
Bury drop-in - donate, volunteer, sponsor: visit: Bury Drop In