What about a "Benefits, Legal & Money" Topic?

Hooray! Thanks for the update AnnieGNet ?

Thank you.

Great news! Thank you.

Excellent news!

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Hello!
Still here!
Still waiting!

Indeed ixion and again I am quoting from the 2011 Geraldine Bedell article which I mentioned upthread. Her words when Founding Editor of Gransnet in 2011:

Mumsnet has demonstrated that if you are overloaded the best place to get advice, information and support is from other people in a similar situation. We hope that this will also be true for Gransnet.

"^Soniagransnet (GNHQ) Fri 24-Sep-21 11:36:56
Hi - just dropping in to say thanks for your suggestions.

Please can you start a thread in Chat first to see if the topic has any traction - if we can see there’s interest then we’ll definitely consider it?

This is how we usually do things as users on MN and GN have told us that having many topics makes the site harder to navigate.

We'd like to make sure the demand is there before going ahead^"

Has anyone yet defined what demand is deemed sufficient?

Would just that when I proposed to them a dedicated Fraud forum, this went through on the nod within an hour or so, no questions raised nor goalposts stipulated.
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So which is the next topic heading they will ask us to repost it on (starting back at zero posts, natch.) Everyday ageism? Scams and frauds? Charities?

We’d like to do the same for older people, who are arguably even more isolated and unheard and in need of a place for peer-to-peer support ^

Well, that's clearly not how it's coming across!

Another vote for a benefits forum here, we could all do with educating ourselves and this seems an excellent way to do it.

PippaZ

I meant to post this here but went to look something up on the other thread and replied there by mistake. As the risk of causing confusion, I'm taking the liberty of repeating what I've written there. I don't think it hurts to remind GN of what they themselves have said:

You are right PippaZ. Nobody could possibly think this is a bad idea. I am convinced that Justine Roberts, who owns MN/GN, has no interest in the smaller company. It doesn’t make any money for the group or her so why allocate staff resources, even for a ten minute programming task, to set up a separate Benefits section?

I found this old article written by Geraldine Bedell who was a founding editor of GN. Her LinkedIn profile says she left in 2013. Her focus is now parents and the negative effects of tech on familes and young people's online safety.

www.theguardian.com/media/2011/may/08/gransnet-mumsnet-ageing-baby-boomers

This extract from that press article struck me:

Yet it's fair to say that when we approached advertising agencies before the [GN] launch, many of the young people we met looked at us blankly. Like, you mean, old people?

Once again, let’s remind ourselves of what Justine Roberts said when she set up GN in 2011:

The Mumsnet community has given a powerful collective voice to a group that was previously somewhat disenfranchised. We’d like to do the same for older people, who are arguably even more isolated and unheard and in need of a place for peer-to-peer support.

and this is what she says in the group's 2020 accounts:

We put people before profits and believe in listening, engaging and fearlessly standing up for our users beliefs.

Rings somewhat hollow doesn't it?

Well said PippaZ.

GNHQ please come back and give us an update on this topic. I suspect if we were having an argument on this thread you’d be hovering and commenting.

Maybe we should start a barney!

I can't see why it doesn't make sense. Firstly, this is a forum for Grannies. Fairly obviously, many of those who are on here - possibly a majority - would be of pension age or of an age where getting work may be more difficult. That very age and the associated problems may mean they can't do what they once did.

Of those on pensions, we know that 40% of those eligible for Pension Credit do not claim it. I would have thought just bringing that to the attention of some who may then claim would make it worth it.

Perhaps GN thinks people wouldn't use it often. That is no different to, say, the "Scams and Frauds" or "Grandad's Shed" boards. Both have low numbers but when they are needed they are important. Similarly, people don't use Bereavement unless that is what they want to talk about.

Finally, the pensioner cohort is likely to be one of the most hit groups by the upcoming economic squeeze. It's a group that can rarely affect their income.

As others have said - I just don't see what the problem is. Nor do I understand why any issues or challenges are still unexplained. We have done what was suggested and have had no feedback whatsoever. Hopefully, that will be put right although may be Early has hit it on the head.

Just out of interest, has anyone had any response to anything from GNHQ over the last five days aside from the auto-response "we'll take a look"? I accept that includes a weekend but I get the distinct impression that nobody at all is minding the fort or cares anymore.

Still waiting for a successful outcome, GNHQ!

You know it makes sense

Definitely a good idea. Disappointing not to have a response from GNHQ.

Seems a good idea to have a separate benefits topic - the whole area is a minefield, so easy access to information would be a good thing.
Are you going to come back and let us know your decision, GNHQ now that you’ve asked for opinions on the matter?

Fanny
Ob .....what?

I'll just comment to keep this thread going.

FarNorth I couldn’t fathom that out either.
And if it was so important that it be discussed under the ‘Chat’ banner; why didn’t they move the thread themselves?
Prevarication and obfuscation.

And GNHQ said to put it on Site Stuff, then to put it on Chat.

I just look at the list of Active threads and go by the titles, regardless of what section they are in.

Why? The last change was made after a request direct to GNHQ by one person.

They will be waiting to see if this topic under the new heading of chat gets more interest than the first thread I should think.
It doesn’t matter how many posts are on here it’s about numbers of actual GN members who comment.