🎄 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. 📧

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)

 

🧪 Booking a COVID-19 test:

Information on booking a test – https://gov.wales/getting-tested-coronavirus-covid-19

Booking a test online – 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 – https://gov.wales/discretionary-assistance-fund-daf/eligibility

🧠 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/

 

🧾 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 –  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 –  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 –  Offices and phone lines are open as usual

Thursday 31 December –  Offices and phone lines are open as usual

Friday 1 January –  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 – 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 –  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 –  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 –  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/