Tinsley Forum

Tinsley Advice Service (TAS) have also operated since 1984, we support the local community and offer a city wide service for people and families who need information, advice and support. We are currently suffering from severe financial difficulties which could bring about a potential closure of our service. TAS is situated on the community doorstep in the Tinsley One Stop Shop with very easy to access for the local community. We hold the Legal Service Commission Awards in Welfare Rights and our work around Immigration, Nationality and Debts has contributed to us running a service that works with over 4000 clients and deals with over 6,000 enquiries per year. TAS generate between £250,000 and £300,000 per year into households in the local community for clients who come to us for help with benefit problems and debt advice. Currently TAS gets just £33k a year from the City Council with all further funding found through fund raising of which we have already raised over £1.5m in 20 years to pay for Advice and Reception staff and our running costs but this is getting harder and harder to do. If TAS closes, local residents will have to seek support from other services which are out of the local area. Residents will face transportation problems, language barriers and won’t receive home visits.