To contact my Parliamentary Office, please use the details below:

Write: Stephen Kinnock MP, House Of Commons, LONDON, SW1A 0AA

Call: 0207 219 8801

Here to help

My office and I are here to help and can provide advice on a wide range of issues, so don’t hesitate to get in touch on the contact details above. You can get support by phoning, emailing, sending a letter, or by attending an advice surgery with me or an experienced caseworker.

What is casework and how do we deal with it?

Casework covers a range of issues or complaints we may take up on your behalf.

We will ensure you are treated fairly, and by the rules in place for the issue you are seeking support for. My casework team will deal with you in a fair and understanding way.

The majority of individual casework is supported by my constituency caseworkers, with cases escalated for my personal attention if they require raising in parliament.

This guide gives you more information on how we deal with casework and what to expect.

How do we prioritise casework?

Urgent casework (Taken up as soon as practically possible). We define ‘Urgent casework’ which is time critical. An example of this would include impending homelessness cases.

Standard casework We define ‘Standard casework’ as important casework which isn’t time sensitive. An example of this could be a longstanding housing complaint.

Lobbies and campaigns We define ‘Lobbies and campaigns’ as issues and events which are important to you, but which are not casework specific to you. An example would be showing support for a Bill going through parliament or raising an issue such as international relations and national charity campaigns.

We support thousands of individual casework and lobby requests each year on a wide range of issues ranging from welfare, crime, housing and other local services, to legislation passing through parliament, as well as national and international issues.

Who can we help?

My office will deal with casework from all residents in the constituency regardless of how you voted, if you didn’t vote at all, and even if you are not on the electoral register.

We can only accept casework from constituents living in the Aberavon constituency – Aberavon, Baglan, Briton Ferry, Bryn, Cwmavon, Cymmer, Glyncorrwg, Gwynfi, Margam, Port Talbot, Sandfields, Skewen, and Taibach.

If you or the person you are acting on behalf of does not reside in the constituency, for instance if they are of no fixed abode but with clear links to the constituency, we will apply common sense to ensure you are not left without representation.

There is a strict parliamentary protocol that Members of Parliament do not seek to intervene in matters raised by the constituents of other Members. If you do not live in the Aberavon constituency I am unable to take up your case. If you have not already done so, I recommend that you write to your own Member of Parliament for assistance. If you are not sure who this is, ring the House of Commons Enquiry Service on 0800 112 4272 or use this website to check: https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons – all you need is your postcode.

In order to take up your case we will need your written consent, this can either be via email, a letter or you can complete and return a consent form. Some organisations require us to complete their own consent form, so if you have emailed or written you may be asked to complete the organisations consent form.

If you are acting on behalf of someone else (e.g. an adult child, grandchild or family member, a friend or neighbour etc), we need their permission to discuss the case with you. If you already have this in writing (e.g. a letter or power of attorney), please provide it. If you don’t have this in writing then the person you are acting on behalf of will need to provide their consent either by letter, email or they’ll need to complete and return a third-party consent form.

What issues can we deal with?

We can help with a wide range of issues which are the responsibility of the UK government, such as;

• Welfare benefits (Personal Independence Payments (PIP), Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC)).
• Child Maintenance Service (CMS) (formerly the CSA)
• Immigration (passports and visas)
• Tax credits (Working Tax Credits and Child Tax Credits)
• Justice and policing
• Defence
• HMRC
• Pensions

I will try my best to help you, however, if your problem concerns the local council rather than the UK Government, then you should contact your local councillor first – https://democracy.npt.gov.uk/mgFindMember.aspx?LLL=0 

If the problem is devolved, e.g. health, social services, education, transport, environment, then you should contact the local Member of the Senedd, David Rees MS first – https://www.davidrees.wales/en/contact/

When you contact me please ensure that you have included your full name, address, postcode and a contact number, we cannot progress your case without it. If you are contacting me about an existing case, please make sure you have also included all relevant reference numbers.

What issues can’t we usually deal with?

There are some things my office cannot do under any circumstances. These include:

• Give legal advice or interfere with ongoing legal proceedings, including making public comment on live court cases.
• Recommend a solicitor or law firm.
• Provide personal or character references (unless the person is known personally to me)
• Offer debt or financial services advice
• Become involved in disputes with other individuals
• Become involved in any commercial disputes, or to carry out advocacy where you would usually expect a professional to act on your behalf, such as a solicitor, agent or accountant
• Provide immigration advice.

We will not assist in securing an unfair advantage, to frustrate normal public administration or enforcement, nor will we support unreasonable or vexatious requests.

We may not be able to accept casework where doing so would place my office in conflict with another constituent we are already assisting.
I do not have jurisdiction over local council decisions or policy. However, I can write to the local council and ask them to look into a problem or to reconsider an issue. In the first instance, constituents should contact their local council or councillor should they have a query concerning a council matter.

If you object to a planning application or proposed development, then you should first lodge your objections through the local council or your local councillor.

I do not have jurisdiction over local housing lists and am not able to move people up the housing list.

I’m not able to move people up hospital waiting lists.

Campaigns and lobbying requests

MP’s are often lobbied to support campaigns or contribute to surveys and events. If you do not live in the constituency, you are unlikely to receive a reply.

Campaign and lobbying requests include requests to:

• contribute to a debate in Parliament (including committee debates)
• sign petitions*
• sign an EDM (Early Day Motion)*
• become a member of a APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group)
• attend an event or reception
• meet a delegation in parliament
• take part in a relevant survey

*Please note that currently I am a member of the Shadow Frontbench and as such restricted in signing EDMs and petitions.

Tips to help us help you quicker

• Only send the email once in the first instance. You should receive an automated response on the same day. If you have not received a personal response within 10 workings days please resend your email or a copy of your letter.
• We deal with all casework in the order it arrives regardless of how it arrives. We accept letters, direct emails and emails from third party sites such as Writetothem.com or 38Degrees
• Make sure you have provided your full home address including postcode, we cannot progress your case without it.
• If you have any relevant reference number (e.g. National Insurance (NI) number, CMS or Home Office reference) make sure you have provided it.
• We do not accept casework through social media. This is to protect your privacy and to ensure we keep proper records of all communication.
• We have a strict zero tolerance policy on rude or abusive behaviour, so please don’t be rude or abusive. Treat me and my office as you would expect to be treated yourself.