Want advice on the board? You must answer this?

SomeBozo

Hello all

I was on the holiday board on MSE and I wanted the best price I could get for my holiday. (see http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=509598 for their list of questions)

They have obviously learnt their lesson and they want to know a certain amount of information before they give you a quote. For example what flights? What hotel? What tour operator?

I think this applies well to the benefits board! How can we give advice unless we know the full facts?

Since so many of the immediate questions after a thread is posted is all about more questions, ie "How much do you earn?" , "how much does your partner earn?" etc etc

Can I suggest a new way?

Since benefit entitlement is based on your individual circumstances, lets be able to refer to a set of questions.

My suggestions are :

1) How old are you?
2) Do you have children? If so, state sex and age!
3) How much does your partner earn? (If applicable?)
4) What do you earn?
5) What benefits do you currently claim? If so...
6) What are the weekly amounts?
7) What is your employment history?
8) What is your rent status? ie HB / LHA
9) Do you have savings? if so how much?

I have missed loads so if you agree that there should be a "Minimum amount of questions" please :

1) Rec this post, I will ask for it to be a sticky we can all refer to.
2) Suggest more questions, I will keep a list and make sure the questions are part of the sticky.

If you disagree, please state why.

I just think the board will run smoother and posters will get better answers.

Bozo

Rikki

People will always argue on this board.

Some people always try and ask for more and what if they didn't tell the truth. Others asking an honest question being attacked for so called dishonesty.

A difficult board to find a happy medium. Good Luck!

alwaysonthego_2

Agree with all your questions, though not sure why the gender of the children is necessary!

bestpud

alwaysonthego wrote: »

Agree with all your questions, though not sure why the gender of the children is necessary!

I guess it would be if they were asking about LHA...

I agree with this and I hope they do make it a sticky. It's frustrating asking the same things over and over, and worse still when someone other than the OP then suggests it is rude/nosy to ask!

SomeBozo

alwaysonthego wrote: »

Agree with all your questions, though not sure why the gender of the children is necessary!

Some ages and genders are expcted to share a room under LHA.

At a certain age they can expect their own room.

Bozo

OrkneyStar

I think this is a good idea.
Will help with more specific answers and save repetitive questioning.
Any agency (CAB etc) would need to ask the same questions to give a decent answer.

AsknAnswer

Absolutely! There are so many people who want advice but refuse to give the details that we need to give appropriate advice. These are the details assessments will require for decisions to be made. With minimal facts only minimal advice or perhaps wrong advice will be given.

Help us to help you!

vegankris

Fair enough, it'll save a lot of hassle.

dmg24

As well as the LHA questions, we need to ask whether they have a mortgage.

TBH I think the stickies could do with a sort out. We could do with beginners guides to the key benefits - JSA, LHA etc. I would be happy to write a few of them (JSA and LHA/ HB), but I think we would need to confirm that they would be made stickies before we put effort into producing them.

If we do update the stickies, we need to be careful not to have too many. Maybe something along the lines of:

* Bozo's Key Questions (possibly not the best name, but I like it! )
* Jobseekers Allowance
* LHA/ HB
* Disability/ Sickness Benefits
* Tax Credits

There would also be the question of whether the stickies would be locked or open to comments?

Am I rambling yet?

[Deleted User]

Excellent idea,I did suggest something simlar a few months ago and nothing came of it.I do wonder if people posting often for the first time feel happy giving so much detail,but as you say without detailed background we cant give definitive answers.

SuziQ

I think it's great.but often people asking these types of questions are totally new to the board and may not immediately fill out any template. Of course if the first poster asks them too it would savea lot of hassle.I think it looks professinal amd may stop the snarking that seems to be happening more often about benefit claiments.