Account LoginFLATS Partners
The FLATS partners bring a wealth of experience and expertise in a range of social welfare issues including: welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment, immigration and asylum issues, community care and consumer rights.
Partners are able to provide a range of services including the provision of information and advice, through to representation.
The FLATS project is newly led by the Birmingham Settlement ( see contact details on NEWS section)
Birmingham Settlement
Birmingham Settlement supports people to lead fulfilling happy lives - creating communities and places where people want to live.
The role of Birmingham Settlement is to improve the quality of life of individuals and communities facing social and economic exclusion. Birmingham Settlement do this by working with others to influence policy makers and challenge the status quo. In doing this we will create a cohesive enhanced environment with opportunity and choice.
http://www.birminghamsettlement.org.uk/
Birmingham City Council Trading Standards
The service provides advice to consumers and investigates the activities of business in line with the Weights and Measures Act, Consumer Protection Act, Consumer Credit Act and the Consumer protection from Unfair Trading Debt advice and support is also provided. The service is free to all consumers and businesses in the City. Trading Standards works in partnership with Consumer Direct, the Government help line for consumer advice.The service provides advice to consumers and investigates the activities of business for compliance with legislation including the Weights and Measures Act, Consumer Protection Act, Consumer Credit Act and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations. Debt advice and support is also provided. The service is free to all consumers and businesses in the City. Trading Standards works in partnership with Consumer Direct, the Government help line for consumer advice.
www.birmingham.gov.uk/tradingstandards
Birmingham Law Centre
Birmingham Law Centre (BLC) is the new name for Birmingham Money Advice and Grants (B-MAG), and is the countrys newest Law Centre launched in October 2007. BLC fights for social justice for people who cannot access the normal routes to legal advice.
BLC has experience of welfare benefits and debt advice stretching back over a 20-year period. It also provides specialist advice in other areas of social welfare law, including housing, community care law and discrimination in employment and has for a number of years also provided training and information services to many other casework agencies in birmingham and the West Midlands.
http://www.birminghamlawcentre.org.uk/
Birmingham Tribunal Unit
Birmingham Tribunal Unit (BTU) was established in 1986. BTUs main aim is to relieve poverty in Birmingham by providing free specialist legal advice and representation at welfare benefit appeal tribunals. The unit has over 20 years experience of providing representation at such tribunals and holds a specialist quality mark with the Legal Services Commission. It is also a recognised provider of accredited welfare rights training for advisers both locally and nationally.
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross is a volunteer-led humanitarian organisation that helps people in crisis - whoever and wherever they are.
Refugee services in the British Red Cross assist vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers in crisis by helping them to access basic services and by providing short-term practical and emotional support to improve their lives.
The College of Law - Birmingham
The College of Law is the largest provider of legal training in Europe. It also runs the largest pro bono programme in the country - giving students the opportunity to put their skills into practice under supervision in areas such as employment; family; housing and social welfare law. They work with real clients who expect a service that matches that of a qualified lawyer. The College was winner of the Law School Category in the Attorney Generals Student and Law School Pro Bono Awards 2007 for this work. Initiatives include rights and responsibilities awareness for community groups; representing clients before selected tribunals; in-house written advice/casework/outreach services and external placements with a wide range of organisations.
