Practical help for real situations
Situation Guide Library
Choose the sentence closest to what is happening. Every guide has clickable numbered steps, fuller explanations, evidence prompts, escalation guidance and Ask Decimus.
Situation guides
Housing
My landlord will not repair damp or mould
Identify your landlord type, document the problem, report it in writing and follow the correct escalation route.
Open interactive guide →I am threatened with eviction
Check the notice, dates and tenancy status before leaving or agreeing to anything.
Open interactive guide →I am homeless tonight
Prioritise immediate safety and contact the council homelessness service for an assessment.
Open interactive guide →I have spent years in temporary accommodation
Build a housing timeline, check priority and suitability, and request written decisions.
Open interactive guide →My temporary accommodation is unsuitable
Record why the property is unsuitable and request a suitability review promptly.
Open interactive guide →I need a council or housing-association repair
Report the defect clearly, keep references and escalate if risk or delay continues.
Open interactive guide →I have rent arrears
Work out the exact balance, protect priority payments and seek early debt and housing advice.
Open interactive guide →I am experiencing antisocial behaviour
Keep a factual incident diary and report through the correct landlord, council or police route.
Open interactive guide →I want a mutual exchange
Check eligibility, affordability, property condition and written approvals before moving.
Open interactive guide →I need a disabled adaptation
Collect evidence of functional need and ask for an occupational-therapy or adaptations assessment.
Open interactive guide →I want to join the housing register
Check local qualification rules, priority bands and the evidence needed for your application.
Open interactive guide →I want to challenge my housing band
Request the written reasons and use the review route with focused supporting evidence.
Open interactive guide →I rent privately and my deposit is disputed
Check deposit protection, inventory evidence and the relevant dispute-resolution route.
Open interactive guide →My landlord is harassing me
Keep evidence, avoid unsafe confrontation and seek urgent tenancy or legal support.
Open interactive guide →I am considering Right to Buy
Check eligibility, discount rules, future costs, repairs and resale restrictions before applying.
Open interactive guide →Situation guides
Money & Benefits
I cannot afford food this week
Deal with immediate food needs, then check emergency support and income gaps.
Open interactive guide →I cannot pay my energy bill
Contact the supplier early, protect essential supply and check grants or hardship schemes.
Open interactive guide →I am behind on council tax
Treat council tax as a priority debt and contact the council before enforcement increases.
Open interactive guide →I have several debts
List every balance, interest rate and priority debt before choosing a repayment approach.
Open interactive guide →I have lost my job
Secure immediate income, check benefits and begin a focused employment plan.
Open interactive guide →My Universal Credit has stopped
Check the journal, decision and deadline, then request reasons or challenge where appropriate.
Open interactive guide →I need help with PIP
Describe how your condition affects daily activities, reliably and repeatedly, rather than relying on diagnosis alone.
Open interactive guide →I am a carer and need financial help
Check Carer’s Allowance, underlying benefits, council support and respite options.
Open interactive guide →I need an emergency grant
Search by need, location and eligibility and prepare evidence before applying.
Open interactive guide →I want to build a household budget
Use real bank figures, separate essentials from flexible spending and review weekly.
Open interactive guide →I have been contacted by bailiffs
Check who they are, what debt is involved and whether entry or vulnerability rules apply.
Open interactive guide →I think I was scammed
Stop further payments, preserve evidence and contact the bank or relevant reporting service quickly.
Open interactive guide →My credit score is low
Check all credit files, correct errors and focus on stable affordable behaviour over time.
Open interactive guide →I need help with funeral costs
Check benefit eligibility, council duties and charitable support before committing to unaffordable costs.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about tax
Identify whether the issue is PAYE, self-employment, benefits or a specific HMRC decision.
Open interactive guide →Situation guides
Family & Parenting
Everything feels overwhelming
Deal with safety first, choose one priority and ask one suitable service for a written plan.
Open interactive guide →My child is being bullied
Record incidents, notify the school in writing and request a clear safeguarding and support plan.
Open interactive guide →My child refuses to attend school
Explore the reason, involve the school early and distinguish anxiety, unmet need and behaviour.
Open interactive guide →My teenager is staying out late
Set safety-focused boundaries, agree check-ins and address the reasons behind the behaviour.
Open interactive guide →I am struggling with co-parenting
Keep communication child-focused, practical and written where conflict is high.
Open interactive guide →We cannot agree child arrangements
Try a workable written plan and obtain appropriate mediation or legal advice where needed.
Open interactive guide →I have concerns about a school
Use the school’s complaint route, focus on facts and request a specific outcome.
Open interactive guide →My child may have SEND
Collect examples across settings and request the appropriate school or local-authority assessment.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about my child’s mental health
Listen calmly, assess immediate risk and connect them with school, GP or specialist support.
Open interactive guide →My child is using drugs
Prioritise safety, avoid purely punitive reactions and seek specialist young-person support.
Open interactive guide →My child may be involved in county lines
Treat unexplained absences, money, phones or older associates as safeguarding concerns.
Open interactive guide →I need childcare support
Check funded hours, Tax-Free Childcare, local provision and eligibility dates.
Open interactive guide →I am expecting a baby and need help
Build a simple plan covering health, money, housing, equipment and support people.
Open interactive guide →My family needs activities
Use age, cost, accessibility, travel and indoor/outdoor filters to find suitable options.
Open interactive guide →I need a parenting plan
Create clear routines for contact, school, health, holidays, communication and emergencies.
Open interactive guide →Situation guides
Online Safety
My child may be being groomed online
Preserve evidence, stop direct contact safely and report urgent risk through safeguarding channels.
Open interactive guide →Someone is threatening to share intimate images
Do not pay or comply, save evidence and use specialist reporting and removal routes.
Open interactive guide →My child is being cyberbullied
Record the content, block and report appropriately, and involve the school when peers are involved.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about TikTok
Review privacy, messages, Family Pairing, content exposure and how your child uses the platform.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about Snapchat
Discuss location sharing, disappearing messages, unknown contacts and screenshot evidence.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about Roblox
Review chat, spending, age settings, private servers and contact with unknown users.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about Discord
Check servers, direct messages, moderation, age-appropriate communities and unknown contacts.
Open interactive guide →Someone hacked an account
Secure email first, change passwords, enable two-factor authentication and review active sessions.
Open interactive guide →My child made an in-app purchase
Secure payment settings, gather transaction evidence and request refunds where appropriate.
Open interactive guide →I received a suspicious message
Do not click links, verify independently and report the account or message.
Open interactive guide →My child is seeing harmful content
Use device and platform controls while keeping an open, non-punitive conversation.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about AI-generated images
Discuss consent, impersonation, deepfakes, reporting and evidence preservation.
Open interactive guide →My location is visible online
Turn off unnecessary location sharing and review posts, metadata and friend lists.
Open interactive guide →My child talks to strangers while gaming
Review voice chat, friend requests, reporting tools and agreed family rules.
Open interactive guide →I want a family online-safety agreement
Agree rules together for privacy, screen time, spending, reporting and trusted adults.
Open interactive guide →Situation guides
Jobs & Employment
I need a CV
Build a targeted CV around evidence, achievements and the requirements of the vacancy.
Open interactive guide →I need a cover letter
Connect your experience directly to the employer’s needs using short evidence-based examples.
Open interactive guide →I have an interview
Prepare examples, research the role and practise clear answers aloud.
Open interactive guide →I want an apprenticeship
Compare entry requirements, pay, training quality, travel and progression.
Open interactive guide →I have no recent work experience
Use volunteering, caring, projects, courses and transferable skills as current evidence.
Open interactive guide →I am facing disciplinary action
Read the allegation and policy, preserve evidence and prepare a factual response.
Open interactive guide →I think I am being discriminated against at work
Record incidents, identify the protected issue and seek advice before deadlines expire.
Open interactive guide →My employer will not make adjustments
Explain the disadvantage and request specific reasonable adjustments in writing.
Open interactive guide →I have been offered a settlement agreement
Check all payments, tax wording, references, restrictions and independent-advice funding.
Open interactive guide →I want to change career
Compare skills, entry routes, realistic pay and a staged transition plan.
Open interactive guide →I need local training
Filter by goal, cost, accreditation, schedule, travel and learner support.
Open interactive guide →I want to start self-employment
Test demand, calculate costs, understand tax and keep business money organised.
Open interactive guide →I need interview clothes
Use local clothing support, charities or low-cost essentials without delaying applications.
Open interactive guide →I have a gap in employment
Explain it briefly and positively, then return attention to current readiness and evidence.
Open interactive guide →I want to negotiate pay
Use market evidence, responsibilities and results rather than personal need alone.
Open interactive guide →Situation guides
Relationships & Safety
I do not feel safe at home
Prioritise immediate safety and use a safe device or trusted person where possible.
Open interactive guide →My partner controls my money
Recognise economic abuse, protect documents and seek confidential specialist advice.
Open interactive guide →Arguments are becoming frightening
Create distance, assess risk and do not rely on joint mediation where abuse is present.
Open interactive guide →I want to leave a relationship safely
Plan timing, documents, money, children, transport and confidential support.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about coercive control
Record patterns of control and seek specialist advice rather than judging incidents separately.
Open interactive guide →We need healthier communication
Use calm timing, specific behaviour, clear requests and boundaries.
Open interactive guide →I need help after separation
Separate urgent safety, housing, money, children and emotional-support tasks.
Open interactive guide →I am being stalked or harassed
Preserve evidence, review digital security and report risk through appropriate channels.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about consent
Consent must be freely given, specific, informed and capable of being withdrawn.
Open interactive guide →I want relationship counselling
Choose an appropriate service, but prioritise specialist safety support where abuse exists.
Open interactive guide →Situation guides
Community Action
I found fly-tipping
Check danger, photograph safely, record location and report through the correct council route.
Open interactive guide →My street is persistently dirty
Collect consistent evidence, identify patterns and request a clear service response.
Open interactive guide →A pavement is unsafe
Record the exact defect, dimensions and risk without putting yourself in danger.
Open interactive guide →Road markings are unclear
Photograph the full road context, signs and markings and report the safety concern.
Open interactive guide →I want to inspect a public area
Use a structured checklist covering location, time, evidence, risk and responsible authority.
Open interactive guide →The council has not responded
Check the promised timescale, send a focused follow-up and use escalation routes.
Open interactive guide →I want to submit an FOI request
Ask for recorded information precisely and avoid turning the request into a complaint.
Open interactive guide →I want to start a petition
Define one clear request, target the responsible body and build credible local support.
Open interactive guide →I want to run a community campaign
Set a measurable goal, map stakeholders and plan evidence, messages and escalation.
Open interactive guide →I want to become a councillor
Learn the role, build a public record of service and understand election requirements.
Open interactive guide →I want to organise volunteers
Define roles, safeguarding, supervision, expenses, insurance and recognition.
Open interactive guide →I want to clean a public space
Obtain permission, assess risk and arrange waste handling before the activity.
Open interactive guide →I found a dangerous estate issue
Protect residents from immediate risk and report to the landlord and relevant authority.
Open interactive guide →I want media attention for an issue
Verify evidence, protect privacy and make the public-interest request clear.
Open interactive guide →I want to track a community issue
Create a timeline of reports, responses, actions, deadlines and outcomes.
Open interactive guide →Situation guides
Health & Wellbeing
I need urgent medical help
Use emergency or urgent services according to the seriousness and immediacy of symptoms.
Open interactive guide →I cannot get a GP appointment
Explain urgency, ask about alternatives and use appropriate urgent-care options.
Open interactive guide →I feel low and cannot cope
Tell someone, reduce immediate risks and connect with appropriate professional support.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about a child’s health
Record symptoms and seek clinical advice, escalating immediately for emergency signs.
Open interactive guide →I need support with a disability
Separate health, benefits, care, housing, equipment and access needs.
Open interactive guide →I am caring for someone
Request a carer’s assessment and check financial, practical and respite support.
Open interactive guide →I need help with addiction
Seek confidential specialist support and plan for immediate safety and withdrawal risk.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about dementia
Record changes, arrange a GP assessment and plan safety and legal matters early.
Open interactive guide →I need sexual-health support
Use confidential testing, treatment and advice services suited to your needs.
Open interactive guide →I want to improve sleep
Review routine, environment, substances, stress and persistent symptoms.
Open interactive guide →Situation guides
Older People
I feel isolated
Start with one regular social contact and check local groups, calls and transport.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about falls
Review hazards, medication, vision, footwear and request a falls assessment.
Open interactive guide →I need help at home
Ask for a needs assessment and describe the tasks you cannot complete safely.
Open interactive guide →I may be entitled to Pension Credit
Check eligibility even if you own your home or have some savings.
Open interactive guide →I am worried about financial abuse
Protect accounts and documents and seek confidential safeguarding advice.
Open interactive guide →I need transport support
Check concessionary travel, community transport and accessible options.
Open interactive guide →I want to plan a lasting power of attorney
Understand the different powers and make decisions while capacity is clear.
Open interactive guide →My home is too difficult to manage
Consider adaptations, care, downsizing and housing advice before crisis point.
Open interactive guide →Situation guides
Business & Community Groups
I want to start a local business
Test the idea, understand customers and calculate realistic costs before committing.
Open interactive guide →I want to form a community group
Agree purpose, governance, roles, banking and safeguarding.
Open interactive guide →I need funding for a project
Match the project to the funder and show need, outcomes, delivery and budget.
Open interactive guide →I want to set up a charity
Check whether charity status is necessary and understand trustee duties.
Open interactive guide →I need a project budget
List all direct, staffing, overhead, contingency and in-kind costs.
Open interactive guide →I want business donations
Make a clear, credible request showing local impact and practical donation options.
Open interactive guide →I need volunteers for my organisation
Create safe role descriptions, recruitment checks, induction and supervision.
Open interactive guide →I want to measure community impact
Choose a small set of outputs, outcomes, stories and evidence collected consistently.
Open interactive guide →