Subject - Contacting the Benefits Service – if you live in central or east 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):
Miles Platting Library (Varley Street, M40): Mondays, 10am to 4.30pm

Longsight Library (519 Stockport Road, M12): Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 4.30pm

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 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 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) (Elizabeth House, Victoria Street Openshaw, M11 2NX): Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm

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

Eastlands Homes (Eastlands House, Victoria Street, Openshaw, M11 2NX): Monday to Friday, 9am until 4pm

Gorton Local Services Office (27 Garratt Way, M18 8HE): Tuesday and Thursday, 10am until 12noon

Grove Village (5 Guide Post Square, Ardwick, M13 9EA): Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm

Harvest Housing (only for their own tenants) (Apex House, 266 Moseley Road, Levenshulme, M19 2LH): Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm

Longsight Library (519 Stockport Road, M12 4NE): Monday to Wednesday, 10am until 7.30pm; Thursday and Saturday 10am until 4.30pm and Friday 10am until 4.30pm

Mosscare Housing Association (only for their own tenants) (8 Salcombe Road, Higher Openshaw, M11 1DQ): Monday to Friday, 10am until 4pm

Northern Counties Housing Association (only for their own tenants) (3-5 West Street, Clayton, M11 4EF): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8.30am until 5pm; Wednesday 8.30am until 1pm

Northern Counties Housing Association (only for their own tenants) (India House, 1-3 McGinty Place, off Whitworth Street, M1 6BA (City Centre)): Monday to Friday 8.30am until 5pm

Northern Counties Housing Association (only for their own tenants) (1 Cherry Tree Court, Kiwi Street, Salford, M6 5AP): Monday to Friday 9am until 4.30pm

Private Sector Housing Office (Elizabeth House, Victoria Street Openshaw, M11 2NX): Tuesday and Thursday 2pm until 4pm

Stockport Road Local Services Office (217 Stockport Road, Longsight, M12 4DY): Tuesday and Thursday, 10am until 12noon

Tung Sing Housing Association (only for their own tenants) (Victoria House, 119 Princess Street, M1 7AG (City Centre)): Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm