Benefits advice?

[Waldo 96]

A relative of mine is having a complete nightmare trying to claim benefits. She has some seriously debilitating heath issues, and has found citizens advice non too helpful, and she's at the end of her tether.

 

My question is, what resources or organisations exist to help people make claims, fill in forms, apply for all applicable benefits etc etc?

[Mister M 1,598]

If she has health issues then it may be worth looking into an organisation that advocates for that health condition. So for example if she is afflicted by Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinsons, or is a carer then there are organisations that employ people who give benefits advice.

If she is over 50 then she would qualify for advice from AgeUK who are very good.

[Waldo 96]

Thank you Mister M.

 

She has a quite rare condition with her lungs, that I think only a few people (less than 10) in the region suffer with, so doubt there would be a specific organisation. However, she is over 50, so we'll look in to the Age UK thing.

 

If anyone else has any suggestions, any other organisations to try, please share.

 

I am not sure she's getting all the help she's entitled to, and all the form filling she's had to do it's so complex for her. I get the feeling that the government structures things in such a way to make it difficult for people, in the hope that many will not get the support, benefits and help they're entitled to.

[geared 300]

She's looked at entitled.to right?

[scrapper 10]

tell her to give shelter a bell ,03445151515,they might beable to help her.if shes having trouble with houseing benefits they defo will. 

[Jomie 30]

British Lung Foundation.

[Bob Arctor 11]

If she's making a first claim to benefits then unfortunately it will have to be Universal Credit. CAB run a Help to Claim phone service - I don't know if this is what she tried or another bit of CAB. The other organisations mentioned may be able to help, but not Shelter if it's an initial UC claim. 

Before making a UC claim she should think about whether she can maintain an online claim or not. If not she can make a non-digital claim by phone but they don't make it easy.

 

Edit: if she's been working but recently had to give up work she may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance for a year based on NI contributions, after which she would have to move on to UC

Edited May 22, 2019 by Bob Arctor

[catmiss 12]

Try another Citizen Advice and perhaps go with her. They are trained to give accurate impartial advice on benefits. Sadly local government cuts have seen the loss of local advice services Sheffield was once afforded 

[Bob Arctor 11]

16 hours ago, catmiss said:

Try another Citizen Advice and perhaps go with her. They are trained to give accurate impartial advice on benefits. Sadly local government cuts have seen the loss of local advice services Sheffield was once afforded 

This is very true, and CAB themselves have had to make big cuts to wages, pensions and opening hours, as they get a lot of their funding from the Council, so this has made service provision worse at a time that it's needed most.