Photo Credit: NK-Photography, 2017
Welcome to my contact page.
Please visit myadvice page here >
INTRO - please read carefully
(Link to acceptable behaviour policy)
- Local Issues and Local Government (Council) issues
Please be aware, that MPs are elected to represent their constituents in Parliament, on national government matters.
the Gov.UK website, may be able to point you in the direction of the most appropriate service.
Your local Councillors are elected to represent you at the Council in local government matters - including planning.
- MPs are not in charge of the Council.
- MPs are not in charge of your Local Councillors.
When it comes to local issues, such as: litter; bin collections; planning; anti-social behaviour; local social services provision or housing - contacting your local Councillors is generally your best route to try first, although I am happy to try and help you and your Local Councillors with these issues as well, if I can.
You can find out who your local Councillors are by clicking this link here. Tel: 0191 520 5555
- Housing issues
If you are a tenant of a Registered Social Landlord (RSL), such as Gentoo for instance, you can contact the Housing Ombudsman on their website > or call: 0300 111 3000 - Lines are open Monday to Friday from 9:15am to 5:15pm (except public holidays), or email: [email protected] however - Please note, the Housing Ombudsman will insist that you have exhausted all avenues of complaint first before they will make any investigation on your behalf.
If you have made a complaint against your social landlord, they should respond to you within eight weeks.
- To get in touch
You can fill in the form below, or use the other methods listed below. Or you can email: [email protected]
Please don't forget to include your full contact details (name, address and postcode), as this allows us to verify that you are a constituent. Failure to do this will severely hamper any response that we are able to give to you.
Please remember, there is a very strictly-adhered-to convention at Westminster that Members of Parliament don't intervene in matters affecting the constituents of other MPs. If you're unsure who your MP is, you can check on this link here.
- Before you get in touch, you might also like to have a look at the Gov.UK website, which may be able to point you in the direction of the most appropriate service to address the issue you wish to raise.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Sharon
- Other matters
I'm always interested to hear what people in my constituency are concerned about, and keen to try and help them with problems they may be experiencing with Government Agencies or (where I can) other organisations.
NB - When getting in touch - If you can, you should put your complaint or problem in writing as this helps me to comply with GDPR for authorisation purposes, and also helps to avoid any misinterpretation on our part.
Under GDPR, Government Departments such as HMRC will insist on written authorisation for us to correspond on behalf of a constituent.
If you have exhausted your complaint with a Central Government Agency, you can apply for the Parliamentary Ombudsman (PHSO) to investigate your complaint. You will need to fill in this form here, which is known as the MP's filter.
NB - They will insist that you have exhausted all avenues of complaint first, before they will make any investigation. The decision on whether to investigate any complaint is entirely that of the PHSO, and your choice to use them is entirely your own. The Ombudsman's decision is final.
- National Government issues
As your MP, I can try and help you get some advice with problems you may be experiencing with Central Government or take up correspondence with Central National Government Departments and Agencies, such as the Passport Office, HMRC, DWP, Jobcentre Plus or the Child Support Agency (CSA).
- Benefits entitlement
The Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) are contracted by the Government to help you with advice on benefits - you can find your local bureau here. Or call 0300 330 1194 or 03444 111 444.
You can also check benefits entitlement via the "entitledto" website here: www.entitledto.co.uk
- NHS complaints
I can also help with complaints against the NHS, although you do NOT need to go through an MP's office to contact the Health Service Ombudsman. The Health Service Ombudsman can be contacted directly. Call 0345 015 4033
- Problems with Private Companies
I can also try and help you (where possible) to get some answers from private companies. However, please be aware, that whilst they are not obliged to respond to me, I have found that most genuine, responsible and customer-friendly companies will always try and address and rectify the problems of their customers - but, unfortunately not all companies will do this.
For help with energy companies or mobile phone providers, please find a link here with advice for using Ombudsman Services: Consumer Group Which? advice on using Ombudsman Services
- Legal and Financial Advice
Please note that neither I, nor my staff are able to provide any financial or legal advice.
The Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) may be better-placed to help you on these issues, and you can find your local bureau here.
You can also contact the Financial Ombudsman Service. Tel: 0800 023 4567
Constituency Office postal address: Unit 1, Vermont House, Concord, Washington, NE37 2SQ
Constituency office tel: (Tyne and Wear prefix 0191) 417 2000
Westminster postal address: Office of Sharon Hodgson MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
Westminster office tel: (London prefix 020) 7219 5160
E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: SharonHodgsonMP
Sharon Hodgson MP Facebook page
ADVICE SURGERY DETAILS:
Unfortunately due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, my face-to-face advice surgery appointments are cancelled.
I hold advice surgeries in the constituency.
Please email me on: [email protected] - to request an appointment.
Or call 417 2000.
NB - Please let my office know if you - or anyone accompanying you to my surgery - have any disability requirements.
Latest: Sharon also conducts roving street surgeries >
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Please note, Sharon's website is NOT funded through Parliamentary expenses.
Data protection: Please be aware that General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation came into effect from the 25th May 2018. You can check your rights on The Information Commissioner's website.
Data protection: Please read Sharon Hodgson MP's Privacy Notice and Data Retention Policy here: http://www.sharonhodgson.org/privacy_policy
For the Labour Party’s full privacy policy please see: http://www.labour.org.uk/pages/privacy
