Page 121 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making

d) It could be run by DWP (or Ministry of Justice) itself, or its
operation could be put out to tender to other organisations.
However, the website should always maintain the same look and feel
to the public regardless of who is running it.
e) Have some form of quality control of the organisations on the portal,
for example by requiring organisations to be accredited.

4.51 We acknowledge that the advice sector is already functioning at capacity and
that for any signposting initiative to be effective it needs to be accompanied
by increased funding to deal with the additional demand. The reintroduction
of legal aid for early benefits advice recommended above should assist in this
regard.

4.52 JUSTICE has previously recommended and has been developing similar ideas
outside of the benefits context. In its report Delivering Justice in the Age of
Austerity it advocated for the development of an integrated online and
telephone service, providing effective access to information, advice and
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assistance. In developing this idea JUSTICE has more recently been
working with the advice sector on a proposal for an Online Advice Platform
which would both signpost to advice provision and facilitate remote advice
where necessary. The Online Advice Platform is envisaged as commencing
with a form of “triage” – users would be able to select from a drop down
“menu” of legal problems. The platform would then match a user’s problem
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to a list of options for specialist advisors. The list would include local, in-
person advice providers, as well as services delivered remotely. For remotely
delivered advice, users would be able to contact specialist legal advisors
directly through a video chat function built into the platform. Remotely

Welfare Changes Helpline, which is operated by Advice NI (nidirect, Welfare changes helpline (see n.
326 above).
351 JUSTICE, Delivering Justice in the Age of Austerity (2015) Chapter 3.
352 Possibly using similar technology to Victoria Legal Aid’s ORBIT. See R. Smith, ‘ORBIT: not just a
chewing gum’ (Law Technology and Access to Justice, 2018).

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