Benefits & Work Forum
Comments
-
Apologies if you thought or I appeared to be pushing the site, I was merely bringing it to the attention of others that may not have come across it - I hadn't heard of it until I received my daughters migration paperwork and decided to see whether there were any guidance (other than the DWP) online, I immediately found both the B&W site and CAB guidance notes.
As I said before, I do not wholly agree with payments for information - but in my case it was useful
No problem
I think that a few of us have seen people coming on here and "pushing" B and W before - so may be we are a bit bruised
Like all sites it helps which is all good. It's forum is great for folks who want an ongoing one to one which somewhere bigger, like here, cannot provide. But it is slow.
It's information, as Alice says, is really really good. If you can't access face to face support, easily or on a regular basis, then it's invaluable. But, it still somewhat sticks in the craw that they are charging for something of which much is available, free, elsewhere0 -
its not only CAB.
there is DIAL and many councils have welfare rights departments.
also charity's for specific conditions also offer help and advice.
when my time comes to transfer to PIP i will contact the RNIB as well as my local welfare rights.
many people use ALL of their DLA/PIP awards towards the costs of care and aids so the costs of joining such a site is a large outlay that they cannot afford.
so jusrt pointing out that free help is available if you know where to find it.
Additionally it does depend on where you live. Where I live which is a county predominately a rural environment there is little choice. What choice there is heavily subscribed.
As an example there are three AgeUK offices with only one offering benefit advice of a general nature. Should you require more detailed advice that office must seek it from a larger branch in London some 90 miles away. There is one DIAL which is about 50 miles away in the whole county. CAB is the only one that exists in each of the main towns. Obviously that is massively oversubscribed.
At the end of the day most in my county have to go it alone.
I was 'lucky' that the local jobcentre stepped in to help. I did manage to get an appointment with a Welfare Rights office but they could not offer an appointment before the form had to be returned. Another that I contacted many miles away forgot to get back to me with an appointment.0 -
It's information, as Alice says, is really really good. If you can't access face to face support, easily or on a regular basis, then it's invaluable. But, it still somewhat sticks in the craw that they are charging for something of which much is available, free, elsewhere
But, I suppose it's the fact that you can get replies on a daily basis - which, unfortunately, you may not get elsewhereVery happy early retired Mum, surrounded by the Welsh hills, our dogs, cats, goats and poultry
:grinheart:grinheart:grinheart:grinheart0 -
The B&W site and resources are amazing, and to get the best possible results for PIP and ESA I think £19.95 is a bargain. Using their guides I got into the Support Group for ESA and my daughter has used them again to fill in my PIP form for me. Where I live there are no free resources, CAB are impossible to get an appointment with and there's nothing else available.
Why would you not use them? In a Facebook page I'm on for chronic illness they were moaning about a woman offering form filling in for£80.......people are desperate and B&W are offering a service that's needed.......for a very cheap price........And could potentially help you to get the money you are entitled to!KEEP CALM AND keep taking the tablets :cool2:0 -
But, I suppose it's the fact that you can get replies on a daily basis - which, unfortunately, you may not get elsewhere
But do you
Last time I looked the person wasn't on till Monday - and that was a Saturday.
As I say I think it works really well for some people (not much traffic though)
But, from experience, an ongoing email/web chat is nowhere near as good as a face to face0 -
But do you
Last time I looked the person wasn't on till Monday - and that was a Saturday.
As I say I think it works really well for some people (not much traffic though)
But, from experience, an ongoing email/web chat is nowhere near as good as a face to face
I wondered at that - but this weekend the 'advisors' were online - despite the wall saying Mon - Fri etc etc - As I am fairly new to the site, I really cannot say that this is normal practiceVery happy early retired Mum, surrounded by the Welsh hills, our dogs, cats, goats and poultry
:grinheart:grinheart:grinheart:grinheart0 -
I can only go on what it says on the forum
Latest
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=topic&catid=10&id=1134320 -
-
i live rurally too, but there is a miraculous new invention called the telephone.rockingbilly wrote: »Additionally it does depend on where you live. Where I live which is a county predominately a rural environment there is little choice. What choice there is heavily subscribed.
As an example there are three AgeUK offices with only one offering benefit advice of a general nature. Should you require more detailed advice that office must seek it from a larger branch in London some 90 miles away. There is one DIAL which is about 50 miles away in the whole county. CAB is the only one that exists in each of the main towns. Obviously that is massively oversubscribed.
At the end of the day most in my county have to go it alone.
I was 'lucky' that the local jobcentre stepped in to help. I did manage to get an appointment with a Welfare Rights office but they could not offer an appointment before the form had to be returned. Another that I contacted many miles away forgot to get back to me with an appointment.
hen my PIP form arrives, i will post it to the RNIB. they will phone me and we will complete the forms.
they then send them off.
so expert advice/help at no cost and without someone physically being present
many organisations offer this service0 -
The forum and guides may be useful, but the way they scaremonger is disgusting.
Often they're not even right in their doom laden predictions.
Of course, the scaremongering just makes people believe they need the guides even more...
I was a member quite a few years ago then I realised that B&W were very often working towards their own agenda, and never renewed my membership, as others have said the same and often better advice is widely and freely avaliable.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.7K Spending & Discounts
- 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
- 608K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173.1K Life & Family
- 247.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards