Epping Community Hub

The Civic Offices is much more than just a place to access your district council services. The Epping Community Hub is a one-stop shop for residents to access a wide range of services for help and advice.

The Epping community hub rota (pdf 82KB)

How it works

There will be set times and days when each organisation will be based at the Epping Community Hub. This is to ensure a range of services is available, there is space for private interviews and to observe social distancing.

For most services in the hub, you will need to book an appointment with the service you require. All contact details are below.

Social spaces in Epping Forest

Social spaces will be open in the hub on Monday from 1pm to 4pm to provide a free, safe, warm and comfortable space for those who need it. Find out more:

Services at Epping Community Hub

Following the closure of the Barclays Epping branch, they will now be assisting with banking enquiries and any banking digital support. Note that they will not be able to assist with cash transactions.

At the hub

  • Wednesday 9.30am to 4.30pm
  • Thursday 9.30am to 4.30pm
  • Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm

Contact Barclays:

Citizens Advice offers free, impartial, confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person. The issues they cover include energy and issuing of Foodbank vouchers, housing, immigration, work, benefits, debt and money, family and consumer. They have specialist advisers covering employment, benefits and debt problems and can refer to other specialist services if they are unable to advise on the presenting problem.

Citizens Advice will be offering initial conversations with people who come to the Hub. An appointment would be scheduled if further help is required.

At the hub:

  • Thursday 10am to 2pm

Contact Citizens Advice Epping Forest District:

CHESS works to ensure that people who find themselves homeless in Essex are supported in ways that enable them to move forward purposefully and in good health. They provide accommodation, support and sign-posting services to homeless adults.

At the hub:

  • Monday 1.30pm to 4.30pm

To contact CHESS Homeless head office:

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy.

At the hub:

  • Thursday 9.30am to 4pm

To contact DWP:

All Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) services are available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm however, some services will have an enhanced presence at the hub throughout the week. Our Welcome Hub officers will be available to support customers access our services online.

At the hub:

Homelessness triage and support officer – providing advice to anyone homeless or threatened with homelessness

  • Monday to Thursday 9am to 5.15pm
  • Friday 9am to 5pm

Revenue and Benefits – get advice and support with claiming housing benefit, Council Tax support, disabled relief, single person’s discounts, issuing of foodbank vouchers.

  • Thursday 9am to 5.15pm

Contact us:

Let’s Get Together is a social drop-in session run by our community development and wellbeing team. It is held every Tuesday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm as a social space to provide people with support and company.

Epping Forest Food Bank provides emergency food parcels to people who live in or near the Epping Forest district who have been referred to them by Frontline care.

At the hub:

  • Tuesday 10am to 12pm

Contact Epping Forest Food Bank:

EPUT is providing community mental health services will provide triage, assessment and treatment for individuals with mental health needs in the community.

At the hub:

Community mental health

  • Friday 9.30am to 1pm (every 3rd Friday of the month)

Employ-ability

  • Wednesday 12pm to 4pm

For the Community mental health service contact:

For the Employ-Ability initiative contact

IPS Lead Employment Specialist

Retention Lead Specialist

Kinder Essex aim is to help reduce loneliness and isolation and bring the community together.

At the hub on Tuesdays from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

Contact Kinder Essex:

Open Road is a charity covering Essex, East Anglia and Kent. Providing support and signposting, wellbeing initiatives, counselling, and practical help for people affected by drug or alcohol addiction and other health and social problems.

At the hub (from Wednesday 17 July 2024):

  • Wednesday 9am to 5pm

To make an appointment contact:

For further information or advice

Essex Outreach Support offers a short-term support service to people over the age of 16 years, living within Essex who are experiencing a range of problems that are impacting their health, financial and housing wellbeing.

At the hub by appointment only:

  • Friday 10am to 4pm

To make an appointment contact:

For further information or advice

Employability support for people on Universal Credit for longer than 6 months unemployed and over the age of 18.

Contact Reed in Partnership:

Voluntary Action Epping Forest (VAEF) is an independent charity whose core work is aimed at helping other local charities and community groups to achieve their full potential.

VAEF develops new initiatives to meet the community’s needs, such as:

  • Ace Activities for people with learning difficulties
  • Benefits advice for housebound residents
  • Befriending for older people who live on their own or in isolation
  • Gardening and handyman services, providing help from trusted workers to people who need it

The charity also provides a comprehensive volunteer service to help local people become involved in volunteering.

To contact VAEF:

More information