Page 120 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making

4.49 There are a couple of advice amalgamator sites for benefits that already
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exist. Advicelocal allows users to select an advice topic, one option is
welfare benefits. Users can then enter their postcode and find local welfare
benefits advice organisations (as well as information on entitlements and how
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to challenge a decision). Turn2us has ‘Find an Adviser’ which also allows
people to search for local advice by their postcode. The information provided
on Turn2us’s ‘Find an Adviser’ is more detailed. It includes a description
about the clients advice providers serve, opening hours, languages spoken and
contact details including phone numbers and email addresses, rather than just
a link to the organisation’s website. Whilst the Turn2us ‘Find an Adviser’ is a
helpful tool, we think that more can be done to inform claimants of what
advice and support is available.

4.50 The new advice portal we are recommending should:

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a) Be funded by DWP and the Ministry of Justice, as appropriate.
b) Include a website that provides people with a comprehensive list of
where they can obtain welfare benefits advice and support. It should
make clear what clients the organisations serve, what stage of the
application and/or appeals process organisations can help with and
whether the advice can be provided over the phone, online and/or
face-to-face. It should also include links to self-help tools such as
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Advicenow’s PIP Mandatory Reconsideration Request Letter tool.
c) The website must be in plain English and accessible.
There should be a phone number for people to call where they can be
provided with details of the relevant advice organisations and where
appropriate can be referred directly to an organisation that can
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provide support.

346 There are also more general advisor locators, for example, Advice NI has a zoomable map of all its
members (Advice NI, members), some of whom provide benefits advice and Advice UK allows users
to search for advice providers in their area (advice UK, Find Advice). However, they are not benefits
specific or do not let users filter for welfare benefits advice providers only.
347 AdviceLocal, ‘Your local guide to help with benefits, work, money, housing problems and more’.
348 Advice would cover both entitlements and managing a claim as well as challenging a decision.
349 AdviceNow, ‘PIP Mandatory Reconsideration Request Letter Tool’.
350 See para 4.71 below for details of HMCTS’s signposting project as an example. In Northern Ireland
there is single point of contact telephone number for benefit advice relating to welfare reform – the

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