Hallam Union.

What we do:

The Advice Centre is here to provide information, advocacy, advice and representation to current and prospective students of Sheffield Hallam University. We also aim to make you aware of your rights and responsibilities. Only you can make the final decision on what to do, but we can give you information to ensure that you make informed choices.

We can advise on a wide range of issues, including:

• Student funding - loans, grants, fees, Access Funds and bursaries.
  Assistance with entitlement and delays in receiving payment. Help with Access Funds and appeals.
• Debt and money advice - advice and support in dealing with debts.
  Utility bills, Council Tax, overdrafts and credit debts. Advice on budgeting.
• Social Security benefits - checking eligibility and entitlement.
  Assistance with problems with the DWP, including revisions and appeals.
• Housing - checking housing status and rights. Checking contracts, assistance with problems with landlords including deposits, repairs, rent arrears, eviction and harassment.
• Immigration - help with visas and rights for international students.
• Academic - advice on appeals, complaints, plagiarism, and transferring courses. Representation, information and support for course representatives.
• Employment problems - problems at work, underpaid wages, working hours, holiday entitlement, harassment etc.
• Legal - advice and representation through the County Court, good links with local solicitors for referrals for complex or criminal cases.
• Consumer - help with mobile phone and utility bill disputes and good & service problems.

…and anything else you can think of. If we cannot help you - we will know someone who can!

Our service is:

• Independent
  We are employed by the Students’ Union, not Sheffield Hallam University - this means that we are independent and can advise on cases when you are in dispute with the university, when appropriate.
• Non-judgmental
  The Advice Centre is not here to lecture you or tell you how to live your life. We will give you information to help you make informed decisions about your problems.
• Free
  The service we provide is free.
• Confidential
  Your visit to the Advice Centre is confidential. We will not tell anyone (including University staff, family and friends) that you have been here or the nature of your problem. Your records are kept in a locked office and only the advice workers have access to them.
• Non-discriminatory
  We will not discriminate against anybody who uses the Advice Centre and will take account of any needs you may have. Advice can be accessed in person, on the phone and by email. We aim to provide accurate advice using a large information system and library.
• Professional
  All advice workers are professionally trained and experienced in advice work. If we cannot help you or think that another agency would be in a better position to advise you, then we will tell you. We have good contacts with local organisations, which provide advice and assistance.