• Actionline Tel: 0800 5 19 19 19

• Community safety Tel: 023 8083 3988

• Comments and complaints Tel: 023 9022 3855

• Council main switchboard Tel: 023 8022 3855

• Emergency out of hours Tel: 023 8023 3344

Money Matters

• Student finance - We offer information and advice to people who want to get help with funding for study. We also help work out what sort of help a student can apply for.

• Careers advice - We offer information, advice, guidance and support to young people aged between 13 and 19. We also help those up to 25 who have learning difficulties and disabilities, or both.

• Disabled students allowance- You may be able to receive extra funding if you have a disability or a learning difficulty and you are on a full-time study course.

• Council tax exemption -Certain types of property are exempt from council tax including properties where all the residents are qualifying students and some empty properties.

• Housing benefit - Most full time students cannot claim Housing Benefit. However, there are some groups who may be entitled to claim.

• Connexions gives young people advice and support. We help them with education, employment, training, benefits, health, leisure and housing.

Home and study

• Rubbish and recycling - You can find out about your bin collection days, what items go in which bin, services available for businesses and what happens to the rubbish we collect.

• Parking permits - In some areas of the city there are residents parking zones. If you live or own a business in one of these areas you will need a parking permit to allow you to park on the road.

• Your local library is a gateway to a world of books, music CDs, books on tape and CD, DVDs, Playstation Games, language courses, maps and local history material. The best thing is most of its free!

• Getting to the city -Southampton's excellent south coast location means that travel links by road,rail,sea and air are unmatched in the region.

• Broadband - Southampton can offer the choice of 10 broadband providers

• Becoming a mentor to students - for social work students living in Hampshire.

Get a life

• Shopping - Apart from the city centre Southampton has a number of smaller shopping centres dotted around the city and most areas have at the very least a parade of shops.

• Restaurants and take-aways - If you don't want the bother of shopping or cooking why not treat yourself to dinner out or even a takeaway.

• Getting around town - Southampton, although not the largest city in the country can feel really big when you have just arrived here. These pages give you information on getting about the city on foot, in your car, by bike or even by public transport.

• Free time and relaxation - Whether you like to spend your free time quietly partaking of culture or if you like to be out there getting physical, If you like to shop 'til you drop or dance the night away, if your are an explorer, a sailor, a climber, a swimmer, a golfer or a walker Southampton has something for you.

• Looking after yourself - General health and fitness has become an increasing priority for people, medical science continues to point to the benefits of regular exercise and managing a healthy diet. The links on this page give you information about Southamptons facilities to help you stay fit and healthy.

• Keeping fit and staying in shape - Time to get fit... Keeping fit doesn't necessarily mean being stuck in a sweaty gym. You can choose an activity that you actually enjoy and you're more likely to keep it up. These pages give you information on sporting facilities in Southampton and links to lots of other sporty websites.

• Drinking safely - The information provided on these pages aims at giving safety advice when drinking alcohol. You should consult your GP with any health concerns. Not drinking alcohol or drinking safely doesn't stop you from having fun.