Jessica Morden Jessica Morden - Labour MP for Newport East, Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons and PPS to Keir Starmer
🎄 Over the festive period, my office in Clarence Place will be closed from Wednesday 23rd December to Monday 4th January 2021.
Constituents requiring support can email me on jessica.morden.mp@parliament.uk, however, please be aware that this email address will be checked for urgent queries. đź“§
There are also lots of fantastic organisations offering help and support throughout the festive period so please find below a list of useful contacts, websites and dates. 👇
🏢 Council:
Newport City Council – www.newport.gov.uk
Email: info@newport.gov.uk
Telephone: (01633) 656 656 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
Text: NCC followed by your message to 60777
Closed after 2pm 24th December, and all day 25 to 28th December
Monmouthshire County Council – www.monmouthshire.gov.uk
Phone: 01633 644644
Fax: 01633 644666
Closed after 4pm 24 December reopens 28 December
Closed after 5pm 31 December reopens 2 January
Emergency Contact: If you are contacting us in the evening, at the weekend or on a bank holiday we might take longer to respond. If you feel that the situation is an emergency, please call our out of hours emergency phone number 0300 123 1055
🦠Coronavirus Information:
Welsh Government Coronavirus Guidance Coronavirus regulations: frequently asked questions | GOV.WALES
English Government Coronavirus Guidance Local restriction tiers: what you need to know – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Scottish Government Coronavirus Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Foreign travel advice – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
đź§Ş Booking a COVID-19 test:
Information on booking a test – https://gov.wales/getting-tested-coronavirus-covid-19
Booking a test online –Â https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test
Book a test by telephone – Call 119 between the hours of 7am to 11pm (calls are free). If you have hearing or speech difficulties: call 18001119.
 💷 Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF):
How to apply – https://gov.wales/discretionary-assistance-fund-daf/how-apply
Check if your eligible –Â https://gov.wales/discretionary-assistance-fund-daf/eligibility
đź§ Mental Health:
Samaritans – Call 116 123 – free from any phone, day or night
MIND – Email enquiries@newportmind.org or call 01633 258741
 🏠Housing:
Welsh Government guidance on support for tenants – gov.wales/coronavirus-covid-19-support-for-tenants-in-wales
Charter Housing – www.charterhousing.co.uk/coronavirus-update/
Monmouthshire Housing Association https: www.monmouthshirehousing.co.uk/news/coronavirus-update-repairs-27-03-20/
Newport City Homes – newportcityhomes.com/knowledge-base/coronavirus-update-for-residents/
đź§ľ Welfare:
Government benefits information – https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits
Payments over Christmas and New Year – gov.uk/how-to-have-your-benefits-paid
EntitledTo – entitledto.co.uk/help/Coronavirus_help
Turn2Us – turn2us.org.uk/get-support/Benefits-and-Coronavirus
 💳 Debt Advice:
Citizens Advice – 01633 222622 / 0344 4772020 or citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/
StepChange Debt Charity – 0800 1381111 or stepchange.org/start.aspx
The Money Advice Service – 0800 1387777 or maps.org.uk/
Domestic Abuse:
Domestic Abuse: Help and Support
Live Fear Free Helpline: 0808 80 10 800 24 hour information and support for anyone impacted by domestic abuse, sexual violence and violence against women
Cyfannol Women’s Aid (Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent) – 01495 742052 – www.cyfannol.org.uk
Newport Women’s Aid (Newport) – 01633 840258 – www.nptwomensaid.org.uk
Phoenix DAS (Blaenau Gwent – victim, perpetrator) – 01495 291 202 – www.phoenixdas.co.uk
Llamau (Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport, Blaenau Gwent) – 02920 860255 – www.llamau.org.uk
BAWSO (Gwent – black and ethnic minorities) – 0800 731 8147 – www.bawso.org.uk
Gwent IDVA Service:Contact details for IDVA services in Gwent are included in the VAWDASV Services Directory
Sexual Violence:
New Pathways (Gwent) – 01685 379 310 – www.newpathways.org.uk
BAWSO (Gwent – black and ethnic minority) – 0800 731 8147 – www.bawso.org.uk
Cyfannol Women’s Aid – Horizon Project (Gwent) – 01495 742052 – www.cyfannol.org.uk
Gwent Sexual Assault Referral Centre’s (SARC) – 01685 379 310 – www.newpathways.org.uk
SEWREC – Sexual Exploitation Advocacy and Support Service – 01633 250006
Other national helplines
Dyn project – Helpline for men in Wales who are experiencing domestic abuse 0808 801 0321 – www.dynwales.org
Rape Crisis England & Wales – UK rape, child sexual abuse and sexual violence helpline 0808 802 9999 – www.rapecrisis.org.uk
Survivors Trust – UK rape, child sexual abuse and sexual violence helpline 0808 801 0818 – www.survivorsuk.org
Honor Network Helpline – Supporting victims of honor based abuse and forced marriage 0800 5999 247 – www.karmanirvana.org.uk
Home Office (FMU) Forced Marriage Unit – Gives advice or support to anyone affected by, or who may encounter, cases of forced marriage 0207 008 0151 – www.gov.uk/guidance/forced-marriage
GALOP – UK LGBT and domestic abuse helpline 0800 999 5428 – www.galop.org.uk
RESPECT – UK helpline for male and female perpetrators of domestic abuse 0808 802 4040 – www.respectphoneline.org.uk/
🔎  Job Centre:
Newport Jobcentre –Â 2 – 6 Charles Street, Newport NP20 1JR
Telephone: 0845 604 3719
To make a claim…
For Jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance or income support, visit the Gov.UK website
Telephone: 0800 055 6688 (Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm)
To enquire about benefits…
Visit the Gov.UK website
Telephone: 0345 608 8545 (Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm)
To look for work…
Visit the Gov.UK website
Telephone 0845 606 0234 (Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm, Saturday 9am – 1pm)
Maternity allowance applications…
Telephone 0845 608 8610 (Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm)
Bereavement benefit applications…
Telephone 0345 608 8605 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm)
Other Department for Work and Pensions benefits:
- Carers allowance applications: telephone 0845 608 4321
- Disability Living allowance applications: telephone 0845 712 3456
Date, Opening times
Thursday 24 December –Â Offices are closed. Phone lines are open for missing or urgent payments only
Friday 25 December – Offices and phone lines are closed
Monday 28 December – Offices and phone lines are closed
Tuesday 29 December – Offices and phone lines are open as usual
Wednesday 30 December –Â Offices and phone lines are open as usual
Thursday 31 December –Â Offices and phone lines are open as usual
Friday 1 January –Â Offices and phone lines are closed
ℹ️ Other helpful resources:
ACAS employment advice – https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirusAction for Children support for parents https://www.parents.actionforchildren.org.uk/?utm_source=policy&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=&utm_content=mp
Age UK – ageuk.org.uk/cymru/information-advice/health-wellbeing/coronavirus/; https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/information-guides/ageukig59_coronavirus_inf.pdf
Anxiety UK – anxietyuk.org.uk/coronanxiety-support-resources/
Asthma UK – asthma.org.uk/coronavirus/
British Heart Foundation – www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/coronavirus-and-you
British Lung Foundation – www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/coronavirus
Business Cost Saver guide for veterans – businesscostsaver.co.uk/guide-for-veterans/
Children’s Commissioner for Wales information for children and families – (in English) www.childcomwales.org.uk/coronavirus/ (yn Gymraeg) www.complantcymru.org.uk/coronafeirws/
Citizens Advice Bureau guidance – www.citizensadvice.org.uk/wales/health/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you/
Dads Can Cymru – www.dads-can.co.uk
Diabetes UK – www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/coronavirus
Guide Dogs – www.guidedogs.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/research/Policy-and-guidance-for-businesses
Health and Safety Executive –Â https://www.hse.gov.uk/news/coronavirus.htm
Live Fear Free helpline for those experiencing domestic abuse – https://gov.wales/live-fear-free/contact-live-fear-free
Macmillan Cancer Support –Â www.macmillan.org.uk/coronavirus
Money Saving Expert guidance on financial help and rights – https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/03/uk-coronavirus-help-and-your-rights/
MIND –Â https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing
Ofgem advice for energy customers – ofgem.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19
RCS In Work Support –Â https://rcs-wales.co.uk/en/
RSPCA – https://www.rspca.org.uk/coronavirus
Stroke Association – https://www.stroke.org.uk/finding-support/information-coronavirus-stroke-survivors
TUC – https://www.tuc.org.uk/resource/covid-19-coronavirus-guidance-unions
Unicef guidance – https://www.unicef.org.uk/coronavirus-facts/
Versus Arthritis – https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2020/march/coronavirus-covid-19-what-is-it-and-where-to-go-for-information/