General information and advice

The Community Information Network - supported by Oxfordshire County Council, provides free information and advice for people aged over 50 or their carers.

Guideposts - provide free information on ways to help people with disabilities and older people increase and maintain their independence. 

Which? - free, independent and practical advice about caring for older people.

Information and advice to keep you well on our Public Health pages.

NHS choices website

Care options and finance

My Care My Home - Oxfordshire County Council's preferred provider, offers an assessment of needs to people who fund their own care and helps them to source suitable providers. It also provides advice on care finance and can refer you to a registered independent financial adviser.

Visit out Independent financial advice webpage for information and advice on the best way of funding care.

Which? - free, independent and practical advice about caring for older people.

Care Choices - a specialist information provider for the care of the elderly and the specialist care of adults with additional needs (aged 18 – 64).

Choosing a care home

Age UK - independent charity giving advice to older people, including advice on finding, choosing and financing a care home.

Carers UK - offers a network of local branches to give advice and support to carers, and those that they care for. They can give advice on benefits, tax credits and employment rights. 

Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC) - free advice on housing options for people in later life.

GOV.UK - get details of government policy throughout the UK, including enquiries about local authority care homes and the care needs and financial assessments.

Independent Age - a charity that offers expertise for older people on social care, benefits, befriending and other social support through their advice service and range of guides and publications.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) – England.

Which? - free, independent and practical advice about caring for older people.

Benefits and allowances

Age UK - independent charity giving advice to older people, including on the filling in of benefits forms.

Citizens Advice - can offer benefits checks to see what you are entitled to and help with completing forms.

GOV.UK - get details of government policy throughout the UK, including enquiries about benefits and allowances, eligibility criteria and how to claim.

Independent Age - a charity that offers expertise for older people on social care, benefits, befriending and other social support through their advice service and range of guides and publications.

Turn2Us - a charity that helps people in financial need to access welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help.

Debt

Local groups

• Age UK Oxfordshire
• Citizen's Advice

National contacts

• Age UK
• Shelter - where to get help with debts
• National debt line.
• Turn2us - a free service that helps older people in genuine financial need receive the support that may be available to them from a variety of charitable sources.
• The money advice service - debt and borrowing.

Dementia

Find support services for dementia on our Live Well information directory.

Dementia Connect is Alzheimer's Society's online services directory for anyone affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It’s the most comprehensive and easy-to-use online directory of its kind, with over 4,000 listings of local information and support services that can help people with dementia, their families and carers to live well.

Dementia Oxfordshire offers information, advice and support to people and their families living with dementia. Launched in November 2015, our dementia advisers have been meeting people within the community, setting up support groups and helping people with dementia feel valued, informed and supported. The service operates a support line for people to ring for advice and support on a wide range of issues. 

Carers

Carers Oxfordshire

Carers Oxfordshire is a free service which offers information, advice and support to someone aged 18 and over, who is looking after someone aged 18 and over, living in Oxfordshire, who could not manage without this help.

Based on a partnership between Action for Carers Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire County Council, the service has built a national reputation for reaching and supporting carers in innovative ways.

Travel advice

Oxfordshire Travel Advice Line - ​​​​​​free impartial advice on a range of transport options for those wanting to get out and about. 

Good neighbour schemes

If you want help with transport, odd jobs, gardening, general errands, or befriending, a good neighbour scheme is for you.

The Community Information Network works closely with good neighbour schemes and can help you to find one that will meet your needs.

Equipment and home alterations

Find out how using assistive technology can benefit you. This guidance includes a wide range of devices from simple things like memory aids, to high-tech items, such as GPS tracking devices to locate somebody who's gone missing.

Guideposts provide free information on ways to help people with disabilities and older people increase and maintain their independence. The centre can tell you about organisations and products and allows you to view and test out equipment. You'll also find out where to hire a wheelchair, find accessible holiday accommodation, a local or national support group for a particular illness and much more.

Home alterations

Age UK - a charity providing information, advice and support for older people.

Care Aware - a free service specialising in funding advice for older people in the UK.

Care and Repair England - a national charity aiming to improve the housing and living conditions of older people and disabled people.

Citizens Advice - a national network of free advice centres that can give advice on home alterations and improvements.

Disabled Living Foundation - a national charity providing free, impartial advice about home adaptations for disabled adults and children and older people.

Living made easy - trusted comparison site for independent living equipment.

Foundations -  the national body for home improvement agencies in England giving advice, help and support for home alterations.

Housing Executive - the national body for home improvement agencies in Northern Ireland, giving advice, help and support for home alterations.

Independent Age - a charity that offers expertise for older people on social care, benefits, befriending and other social support through their advice service.

Rica - (formerly Ricability) - the trading name of the national research charity Research Institute for Consumer Affairs. They focus specifically on issues of concern to disabled and older consumers. Their website has many guides to products relating to mobility, the home and technology.

Moving into adulthood

Advice and information for young people aged 13-25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The Oxfordshire Family Information Service (OxonFIS) - provides information and support for children, young people and families in Oxfordshire. Search for childcare, activities and services for families through the Family Information Directory.

Oxme.info - information about health, rights, learning choices, finding your first job and more.