Information, Advice and Guidance Services

The Council consulted residents and users of information, advice and guidance services to understand their experiences of using them.

An online survey and in person discussion took place to gather views, a summary of findings can be seen below:

Experience of information, advice and guidance services

• Around a half of survey respondents, using services, felt staff were helpful, the advice was of a high quality and had helped move their issue forward
• However, almost half of survey respondents, using services, did not feel it was easy to get an appointment
• Some residents attending the feedback event felt that the varied schedule of services across the borough made them hard to access
• Some residents attending the in-person event also reported that it is very hard to get through to services on the telephone

Support and accessing support

• Survey respondents felt the issues that they might need information, advice and guidance to address were: Housing, welfare benefits and social care.
• The most commonly selected issues that survey respondents might need support with were advice on legal matters and medical or health support.
• When asked about the frequency of support they might need, monthly support and quarterly support were most selected by survey respondents
• Residents attending the feedback event would like to see private rooms introduced for appointments and walk ins
• Residents attending the event called for regular caseworkers and the storage of personal documents, so residents do not have to explain their issue multiple times
• The importance of understanding cultural and demographic needs in local areas was stressed at the in person event

The feedback provided by residents has been used to inform the tender specification for the procurement of information, advice and guidance services for Kensington and Chelsea.