Free Food in Brent

Winter Homelessness

Pack 2020

Section 1: People under 18 years old

Step 1: If you are under 18 years old and you are not with your family, you should have a social worker. If you become homeless for any reason, the first person to call is your social worker.

Step 2: If your social worker does not answer, will not help, or is very far away, you should go to the nearest Council office and ask for help. Take this pack with you and show it to them. Take your ID card with you, or any letter that has your Date of Birth on it. The Council is responsible for giving you emergency housing if you are a homeless child (under-18) in their area. You can go to the Council and explain your situation to the reception team. They should send you to the Children’s team who should arrange emergency housing for you.

Step 3: If they will not help you, you need to call a solicitor. When you call the solicitor tell them your age, tell them you are homeless and tell them where you are. Here are some solicitors you can try, who can try to help you for free:

Bindmans Solicitors - 020 7833 4433 Simpson Millar Solicitors - 020 8131 0962 Lawstop Solicitors, Hammersmith – 020 8150 2588 Anthony Gold Solicitors, London Bridge - 020 7940 4060 GT Stewart Solicitors, Blackfriars - 020 8299 6000 Duncan Lewis Solicitors - 020 7923 4020 Hodge, Jones and Allen Solicitors - 020 7874 8300

Step 4: If you cannot find a solicitor to help, try the charities in the Green box for advice:

Crisis Skylight Brent - 020 8965 2561 or walk-in to Ajax House, 16A St Thomas's Rd, London NW10 4AJ Shelter – 0808 800 4444 DePaul (Alone in London/Nightstop) – 0207 9391 234, 0207 9391 226 The Mix – 0808 808 4994 New Horizons – 0207 388 5580 Ashford Place – 020 8208 8590 Section 2: People waiting for their Home Office decision or who have been refused (18 and over)

If you are waiting for your Home Office decision, you should be given a room by the Home Office. This is sometimes called NASS, Asylum Support, or Section 95 housing. If you become homeless you should:

Step 1: call your housing manager if you know their number. If not, you should call Migrant Help UK on this number: 0808 8010 503. You will have to wait on the phone for a long time, sometimes 2 or 3 hours before someone answers. You can ask for an interpreter and they will call you back. If you have a Hestia caseworker from the NRM, they can also help you find housing.

Step 2: If Migrant Help UK will not help, try to call the solicitors in the Orange box at the back of this information pack. Say you need advice about NASS, Asylum Support or Section 95 housing.

Step 3: If they will not help, try the phone numbers in the Purple box below to find a night shelter. Call them as early as you can, their offices open at 9.30am.

If your asylum case has been refused, you cannot ask the Council for help. You will need to ask one of the charities in the Purple box to help. Give them a call and explain your situation. They may not have space or you may have to join a waiting list. Call as early as you can, their offices open at 9.30am

Glassdoor Night Shelters - 0208 016 6838 Crisis Skylight Brent - 020 8965 2561 or walk-in to Unit 2, Ajax House, 16A St Thomas's Rd, London NW10 4AJ West London Mission (Crisis at Christmas) – 020 7935 6179 or walk-in to 134 -136 Seymour Pl, Marylebone, London W1H 1NT The Marylebone Project (Girls Only) - 0203 959 1444 or walk-in to Bradbury House 1-5 Cosway Street, London, NW1 5NR Crashpad, DePaul - 020 7939 1220

Section 3: People who have Refugee Status, Humanitarian Protection or Leave to Remain (18 and over)

If you have refugee status, humanitarian protection or leave to remain, you will probably have ‘Recourse to Public Funds’. This means you can ask the Council to help you find somewhere to live. If you have been living in Brent for more than 6 months, then you can ask Brent Council to help you. If you have not been living in Brent for 6 months, then they will probably tell you that you do not have a ‘local connection’ and will not help you.

However, if you came to the UK as a child and spent some time living with other young people, or you had a social worker, there is a good chance that you are considered to be a ‘Care Leaver’. If you are a ‘Care Leaver’ and you are between the ages of 18-21, the Council must give you emergency accommodation, even if you do not have a ‘local connection’.

If you are homeless, you have lived in Brent for 6 months and/or you are a care leaver you need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to Brent Civic Centre (Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ). Take your ID card and all of your important documents (letters from the GP, from your therapist, from the Home Office). It is best to go early in the day around 10am. Go to Reception and say this: “I am homeless, I am eligible and I believe I am in priority need. Please can I speak to the Duty housing adviser about moving in to emergency/interim accommodation today?”

Step 2: If they will not help you, or they tell you to come back another day, call a solicitor from the Orange box.

Step 3: If no solicitor will help you, try and call one of the charities in the Green box. If you have nowhere to go, call a night shelter from the Purple box. Call as early as you can, their offices open at 9.30am. Useful Contacts

Solicitors

Advice Charities

Crisis Skylight Brent - 020 8965 2561 or walk-in to Ajax House, 16A St Thomas's Rd, London NW10 4AJ Ashford Place – 020 8208 8590 Shelter – 0808 800 4444 DePaul (Alone in London/Nightstop) – 0207 939 1254 The Mix – 0808 808 4994 New Horizons – 0207 388 5580

Night shelters

Other Tips for staying safe

1. You can charge your phone in coffee shops and restaurants like Costa and McDonalds or local libraries – These are also warm places to wait while you work things out.

2. If you are scared, feel sick, or someone is trying to hurt you, you can call the police/ambulance for free on 999.

3. If you are feeling sad and you want to talk to someone, you can call Childline on 0800 1111 to talk to someone about how you feel (under 18 years old). If you are 18 and over, you can call NSPCC on 0808 800 5000

4. If you feel like you want to end your life, you call 999 or go to the Accident and Emergency Department at the hospital.

5. Try the local churches and mosques for food, shelter and help.

Free Food in Brent

For some of the listed Foodbanks you need a food voucher To get a food voucher call: - Citizens Advice Bureau Harrow 020 84279477 - Free hotline 0808 2082138 (open from Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm) - Brent Council’s Welfare Assistance Team on 020 8937 5796 - Brent Civic Center 020 8937 1234 or professionals like doctors, health visitors, social workers can refer you to a food bank

MONDAY

Brent borough Rhema Winners Citadel Craven Park Rd, Harlesden, NW10 4AG, 0203 737 8045 Weekdays 9.30 - 11.30am, Free cooked breakfast

Harrow Borough South Harrow Baptist Church Foodbank (vouchers can be exchanged) 270 Northolt Road, Middlesex, HA2 8EB, open from 1.30 to 3.30pm, Telephone number: 020 8416 7344 The centre is closed on Monday the 28th of December 2020

TUESDAY

Brent borough Brent Foodbank (Foodbank vouchers needed) 1pm~3pm St Mary’s Vestry Hall Neasden Lane (Church End roundabout) London NW10 2TS Food bank *you must ring 020 8937 6792 and get a voucher*

Salvation Army, Harlesden 7.30 – 9pm, 32 Manor Park Road, Harlesden, NW10 4JJ, Mark & Julia Cozens 0208 961 8033 Food and conversation” – open provision of hot cooked meals

Rhema Winners Citadel Craven Park Rd, Harlesden, NW10 4AG, 0203 737 8045 Weekdays 9.30 - 11.30am, Free cooked breakfast

Brent Foodbank - Neadston Center (Foodbank vouchers needed) Vestry Hall (on Church End roundabout, next to St Mary's church) Neasden Lane, London, NW10 2TS Open: 1pm to 3 pm

Harrow Borough Holy Trinity Church Wealdstone (Foodbank vouchers needed) 1a Headstone Drive, Wealdstone Harrow, HA1 5QX Open from: 1pm -3pm Telephone number: 020 8416 7344 The centre is closed on FRI 25TH DEC 20 AND ON, TUES 29 DEC 20 AND ON FRI 1ST JAN 21 WEDNESDAY

Brent borough Rhema Winners Citadel Craven Park Rd, Harlesden, NW10 4AG, 0203 737 8045 Weekdays 9.30 - 11.30am, Free cooked breakfast

Kingsbury Center - Foodbank Lindsay Park Baptist Church, The Mall, Kenton, London, HA3 9TG Open: 1pm to 3pm

SUFRA Foodbank and kitchen - (Foodbank vouchers needed) 160 Pitfield Way, Stonebridge, Brent, NW10 0PW, Call: 0203 441 1335, https://www.sufra-nwlondon.org.uk/our-services/food-bank/ open from: 12 – 3pm (including all bank holidays)

Harrow Borough Kenton Methodist Church Foodbank (Foodbank vouchers needed) Woodgrange Avenue Kenton, Middlesex, HA3 0XF open from: 1pm-3pm, Telephone number: 020 8416 7344 THE CENTRE IS CLOSED ON WED 30TH DEC 20

Holy Trinity Church Wealdstone (Foodbank vouchers needed) 1a Headstone Drive, Wealdstone Harrow, HA1 5QX Open from: 1pm -3pm Telephone number: 020 8416 7344 The centre is closed on FRI 25TH DEC 20 AND ON, TUES 29 DEC 20 AND ON FRI 1ST JAN 21

THURSDAY

Brent borough Brent Foodbank (Foodbank vouchers needed) 1pm~3pm St Mary’s Vestry Hall Neasden Lane (Church End roundabout) London NW10 2TS. Food bank *you must ring 020 8937 6792 and get a voucher*

Rhema Winners Citadel Craven Park Rd, Harlesden, NW10 4AG, 0203 737 8045 Weekdays 9.30 - 11.30am, Free cooked breakfast

Brent Foodbank - Neadston Center (Foodbank vouchers needed) Vestry Hall (on Church End roundabout, next to St Mary's church) Neasden Lane, London, NW10 2TS Open: 1pm to 3 pm

FRIDAY

Brent borough Brent Foodbank (Foodbank vouchers needed) 1pm~3pm St Mary’s Vestry Hall Neasden Lane (Church End roundabout) London NW10 2TS Food bank *you must ring 020 8937 6792 and get a voucher*

Rhema Winners Citadel Craven Park Rd, Harlesden, NW10 4AG, 0203 737 8045 Weekdays 9.30 - 11.30am, Free cooked breakfast

SATURDAY

Harrow borough Rayners Lane Baptist Church Foodbank (Foodbank vouchers needed) 139 Imperial Drive, North Harrow, HA2 7HW open from: 10am-12am, Telephone number: 020 8416 7344, THE CENTRE IS CLOSED ON SAT 26TH DEC 20

SUNDAY Brent borough SUFRA Foodbank and kitchen - (Foodbank vouchers needed) 160 Pitfield Way, Stonebridge, Brent, NW10 0PW, Call: 0203 441 1335, https://www.sufra-nwlondon.org.uk/our-services/food-bank/ open from: 12 – 3pm (including all bank holidays)

Missionaries of Charity Soup Kitchen 79 St Charles Square W10 6EB Open from: 3pm-5pm