Is this ethical?

icanhandthemback

Actually, thinking about it, is it any different from solicitors asking for fees for filling out Continuing Healthcare Forms for you. They wanted a couple of thousand pounds for their services at the time I was asking.
The only thing I'd like to know is that there is a regulation body for the service offered so that I can be reassured that it isn't somebody fraudulent asking the questions!

That is exactly my point, too. It's not as though everyone has to pay. There are options to DIY or to find someone to do it free. By the sound of it the woman advertising is just trying to make a living using the skills she has acquired in her work, which is no different from someone offering a mobile hairdressing service or to help someone make a will/LPA.

As always, it is up to customers to check her qualifications before parting with any money. This thread is baffling me . Why are people so annoyed about a simple transaction? I think I must be reading the situation wrongly.

Be very careful, this seems like an extortionate amount of money to charge people on benefits, also you will be giving her all your personal details which is always a concern. Before doing anything check if she is registered/approved otherwise stay well clear. As well as Age Concern & CAB some community and church charities facilitate groups who help with completing forms. Good luck.

There was a feature on TV a number of months ago about this. A woman was charging a ridiculous sum to actually complete benefit claim forms and advertised the fact that she was 100% successful as she knew what to note down in order for a successful claim. She was raking it in. If this isn't deliberate fraud then I don't know what is.

There are you tube videos that walk you through the form if that would help.

Emilie, I think your comment about the average person being thick offensive and unnecessary. I would rather be thick than unkind.

Sorry Sago. ... I hadn't seen your post.

The OP says This is for a fee! Astitchintime. You may not have read it but it was certainly made clear.

Astitchintime

Sago didn’t make it clear in the original post that the person was applying a charge for services.

This is for a fee!
It was perfectly clear.
Perhaps this is the problem with forms, they are not read carefully before filling in.

Jackiest is right. It took three of us to fill in the AA forms for MiL. Obviously designed to fend off successful applications.

Actually, thinking about it, is it any different from solicitors asking for fees for filling out Continuing Healthcare Forms for you. They wanted a couple of thousand pounds for their services at the time I was asking.
The only thing I'd like to know is that there is a regulation body for the service offered so that I can be reassured that it isn't somebody fraudulent asking the questions!

Sago didn’t make it clear in the original post that the person was applying a charge for services.

friendlygingercat

I dont see it as any different than my paying a cleaner when I can no longer do the work myself. Ive always paid a gardener because I am not interested in gardening. These people offer services which I am free to use or not, as I see fit.

Exactly.

emilie

Jackiest

Maybe the unethical bit is that the forms are too complicated for the average person claiming to fill in.

Then the average person must be a bit thick.

Or they could be very anxious.

Or the could be alone not having been the one who tackled such things in the past.

Or they could have sight issues.

Etc., etc.

What we do know is that “The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.” (Dunning-Kruger effect)

Citizens Advice will help with form completion and have step by step instructions on their website below:

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/s/?q=Attendance+allowance&button=

I dont see it as any different than my paying a cleaner when I can no longer do the work myself. Ive always paid a gardener because I am not interested in gardening. These people offer services which I am free to use or not, as I see fit.

Doodledog

Nanato3

Doodledog

Nanato3

It's not ethical. She's taking advantage of people.

How on earth do you arrive at that conclusion? Is a hairdresser taking advantage of someone who can't (or doesn't want to) cut her own hair, or a grocer taking advantage of someone who needs vegetables but doesn't like gardening and growing their own?

How is this different? If someone has training in and understanding of the forms, why shouldn't they offer a service that people can take or leave?

As I said upthread, the fact that advice should be freely available to all who need it is a separate issue. People can't have both low taxation and high spending on public services.

We've got different opinions and that's ok , no need to question me .
Move on

I have stated my opinion, just as you have yours. This is a discussion. not a list of points of view, so the whole idea is that people interact.

Well please interact with someone else.

What a greedy woman .
It's far too much money .
Believe me the form isn't difficult-just go through it carefully and slowly .

Nanato3

Doodledog

Nanato3

It's not ethical. She's taking advantage of people.

How on earth do you arrive at that conclusion? Is a hairdresser taking advantage of someone who can't (or doesn't want to) cut her own hair, or a grocer taking advantage of someone who needs vegetables but doesn't like gardening and growing their own?

How is this different? If someone has training in and understanding of the forms, why shouldn't they offer a service that people can take or leave?

As I said upthread, the fact that advice should be freely available to all who need it is a separate issue. People can't have both low taxation and high spending on public services.

We've got different opinions and that's ok , no need to question me .
Move on

I have stated my opinion, just as you have yours. This is a discussion. not a list of points of view, so the whole idea is that people interact.

emilie

If you can read and write,the attendance allowance form is 100% straight forward.

You'd be surprised how many adults (native English speakers) can't read or write well enough to fill in a form.

I have sometimes noticed on threads discussing filling in welfare claims forms, that there would be an offer of help from a poster. I did wonder at the time just how wise it was to give personal financial details to a total stranger online.

Doodledog

Nanato3

It's not ethical. She's taking advantage of people.

How on earth do you arrive at that conclusion? Is a hairdresser taking advantage of someone who can't (or doesn't want to) cut her own hair, or a grocer taking advantage of someone who needs vegetables but doesn't like gardening and growing their own?

How is this different? If someone has training in and understanding of the forms, why shouldn't they offer a service that people can take or leave?

As I said upthread, the fact that advice should be freely available to all who need it is a separate issue. People can't have both low taxation and high spending on public services.

We've got different opinions and that's ok , no need to question me .
Move on

emilie

Jackiest

Maybe the unethical bit is that the forms are too complicated for the average person claiming to fill in.

Then the average person must be a bit thick.

Does the bit thick comment apply to claimants with dyslexia?

I'm wondering if she's the woman who does this to make a living for herself. Mind you - she's not the only one. I presume she/everyone here is talking re getting other benefits than "dole" money.

I have mixed feelings re this and that particular woman was certainly out to get all sorts of money for people regardless of whether it was really due/really needed or no.

I recall years back when I was having to claim unemployment money it was because I'd had a series of "redundancies" (aka unfair selection for redundancy or unfairly dismissed in actual fact....hmmm...) from jobs and I did need a little help for that (pretty easy to get) benefit. The first time I was glad I knew of myself that I was supposed to have all my rent and all my council tax covered for me (it was the 1980s before all the cuts) and to get the money indefinitely. A married woman would have only got it for 6 months and no money for rent and Council Tax. Good that I knew the basics as the DWP person was all set to have me paid like a married woman!!!! and I knew enough to put her right. So I knew, from my own experience, that they do employ people who don't know their own jobs properly - or, on the other hand, do know their jobs but are out to deliberately do them badly to deprive people of income they're due for and need.

For jobs generally - I was a personal secretary...possibly other office jobs and that means my workhours were around 9am-5pm Monday to Friday and I didn't travel far for a job (not on that low-level pay) - but fortunately I read an article in the Socialist Workers newspaper then which told me "You have to say you are prepared to work at any hour - even if you're someone that only works in office hours. You have to say you're prepared to spend an excessive amount of time to get to and from the jobs. You have to say you're prepared to do any type of job besides your own". So cue for I knew I was sticking to MY terms for what I was really looking for (yep....and travel to work time would normally be walking and would certainly not involve changing buses or trains and would not take more than 30 minutes - for that low level of job and pay). But I duly put I was prepared to work any hours at any distance away at any type of job and was not very happy at knowing I couldnt put the truth down - or my money would have been at risk. It would have been even worse if I'd added "By the way - I won't do a job that's immoral - so don't expect me to do anything that's involved with wars or finding places to store nuclear waste or anything else I disapprove of" goodness knows how things would have gone.

It is difficult...and sometimes not that clearcut.

There's "wrongs" on both sides of that divide. Don't get me started on the way the Government is planning to start paying benefit for a 3rd child onward again - as I struggle with why anyone had a 3rd child onward after they'd been warned not to expect benefit for them some years back and it was at least 10 months notice given of that coming in (ie 9 months plus 1 extra month to be on the safe side).

Jackiest

Maybe the unethical bit is that the forms are too complicated for the average person claiming to fill in.

Then the average person must be a bit thick.

Not a good idea to give personal financial information to a stranger! How can you know for sure they are who or what they say they are!