Winter support services for older people

Organisations and services

Lewisham Council - online and in-person

• Offers information and advice on council services, benefits, and local support services including in-person drop-ins.

UK Government Pension Credit - online, telephone advice

• Telephone: 0800 99 1234
  
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm
• Provides free information and advice on Pension Credit, a benefit for people over State Pension age to help with living costs.

Better Off Lewisham - online

An online platform offering free advice on benefits, money, and employment. It helps you find out what benefits you're entitled to and how to claim them. (You will need to create an account to use the benefit calculator).

This platform requires you to create an account. If you need help to do this, please contact Catbytes for support. They run a series of drop-ins around the borough and can also arrange a home visit if you are unable to attend a drop-in.

Citizens Advice Lewisham - telephone advice, in person drop-ins.

• Telephone: 0800 231 5453 (Freephone)
• Hours: Monday to Thursday: 9.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-5pm
• Offers advice on benefits, debt, housing, and other issues.

Drop-ins:

1. Downham
   St John the Baptist Church 
   353 Bromley Road
   SE6 2RP 
   Wednesday 12 noon – 2pm
2. Forest Hill
   Perry Rise Baptist Church 
   SE23 2QL
   Thursday 12 noon – 2pm

Lewisham Local Warm Welcomes - in-person

• Location: various venues across Lewisham
• Provides warm spaces where people can go to stay warm, meet others, and enjoy refreshments and in some cases community meals. Check the Lewisham Local website to view a map and search the directory of all Warm Welcomes in the borough.

South East London Community Energy (SELCE) - telephone advice, online, in-person drop-ins (Energy Cafes) 

• Telephone: To book a free telephone advice session, call 020 4566 5764
  
• Email: energy.advice@selce.org.uk
  
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 10am – 4.30pm
• Offers advice on energy saving to reduce your bills and efficiency measures. They can also help you make improvements to your home to reduce your energy bills.

Details of drop-ins:

1. Community Connections Advice Drop-in, Lewisham Irish Community Centre, 2A Davenport Road, London, SE6 2AZ
   Every other Thursday from 10.30am–12.30 pm
   
   
2. Salvation Army Catford, 23-25 Brownhill Rd, London, SE6 2HE
   Every Friday from 10am–12 noon [in English, Spanish/Español & Portuguese/Português]

Community Connections - telephone, in-person at drop-in

• Telephone: 0330 0583 464, 9.30am-4pm Monday-Friday (*2-4pm only on Thursdays).
• Drop-in: Thursday morning, 10.30am-12:30pm, at the Lewisham Irish Community Centre, 2A Davenport Road, SE6 2AZ
• Community Connections Lewisham is a free service for anyone aged 18 or over living in the borough of Lewisham. We can help you find and access the support, services, groups, and activities that will improve your health, wellbeing and happiness.

Catbytes - drop-in, in-person

• Telephone: 020 8314 4702
• Email: info@catbytes.community 
• Provides support with using computers and other devices to access online services including benefits applications and advice, online searches (e.g. for cheaper energy deals). 15 Free Digital Drop-ins around the borough. No need to book. Visit the website to view a list of all drop-ins running in the borough with venues and times.