Page 142 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making

38. The DWP should consider broadening the providers of Help to Claim beyond
Citizens Advice (para 4.36).

39. We welcome the Government’s commitment in the Legal Support Action plan
to “work collaboratively with the sector to pilot, test and evaluate the
provision of holistic legal support hubs to more effectively support earlier
resolution of a person’s legal problems”. This should take the form of both
co-location of advice providers covering different areas of law as well as co-
location of legal advice with other services used by people who may be
experiencing issues related to benefits. It should be driven by the advice
sector and build on existing models and initiatives that are working
successfully (para 4.41).

40. There should be a single access ‘portal’ which provides information on
organisations providing welfare benefits advice and which should be clearly
signposted to on all webpages that provide information on benefits,
throughout the UC online application process, on paper-based forms and in all
decision letters and mandatory reconsideration notices. It should:

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
Advicenow’s PIP Mandatory Reconsideration Request Letter tool.
c) The website must be in plain English and accessible.
d) 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 who can provide
support.
e) 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.
f) Have some form of quality control of the organisations on the portal, for
example by requiring organisations on the portal to be accredited under

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