Would it be an idea to have a Benefits Forum on the list?

I think its a very good idea PippaZ.

Agree, very good idea.

Yes, definitely a good idea.

Yes! I think a Benefits thread would be very helpful for some people. There are so many different types of benefit, all with their own discrete rules, that it can be hard for people to know what or how to claim - and where to turn if things go wrong.

Yes good idea.

I think it’s a good idea too.

Thank you all. Do you think "Legal, Money and Benefits" is the right place or does anyone have any other ideas?

That's a very good suggestion. Hope it gets taken up.

No good ideas get taken up on GN ???

A very good idea PippaZ

Recently, I've been very impressed with the advisors at MoneyHelper. This is a service provided by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) an arm’s-length body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions.

They have won a Clear English Award from the Plain Language Commission and their website meets the standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) on accessibility for people with disabilities.

I'd been struggling to get advice about a state pension claim but getting nowhere with DWP who are rather behind at the moment for all the usual reasons.

I came away from a chat with MaPS knowing exactly what I had to do and what I could claim (complicated by late DH's SERPS). Their website carries lots of information on this and all other benefits including long-term care advice.

I hadn't know about this service until I was signposted to them by Pensionwise. Maybe others don’t either.

Personally, I’d like a separate section just called Benefits. In the alphabetical list it would then sit close to Bereavement and Care and Carers both of which have benefits entitlement. In which case, I wonder if it would be possible to pin a reference to MaPS to the top of the section?

Silverbridge Mon 20-Sep-21 22:53:01

I think that the sort of information in you post, under a Benefits heading, could be really helpful.

I suggested just Benefits. However, I don't know how difficult it is to add an additional heading rather than change one as GNHQ suggest. It would certainly be easier to look through the thread headings under just Benefits and easier to keep them current.

GNHQ will read this thread so all ideas will be helpful.

PippaZ If you look at the forums list there's a space at the foot of column two. Everything in column one could just shift down one to accommodate a new Benefits section and Gransnet cafe could move across to the top of column two to keep things symmetrical. That adjustment and the pages that would flow from it are easy to code. A little bit more work than tagging Benefits into Legal and Money but not a huge task. It would make a Benefits section header easy to find, close to the top of the list and the more popular and useful sections like AIBU, Books and Chat, Bereavement and Care & Carers.

Yes I agree,too. Good idea. Doesn’t apply to us overseas people but still agree.

BlueBelle

No good ideas get taken up on GN ???

Although I cannot disagree with you in the main, BlueBelle, when ixion suggested a ‘Scams’ sub forum, the management set it up the very same day

Forgot to say, I think it’s an excellent idea too Pippa.
I think that I would like to see it separate from Legal

I think this is a really good idea.

I help run Carer Learning courses (for AgeUk) for people caring for people living with dementia of all kinds. Our mantra on the courses is "You don't know what you don't know until someone tells you'.

I think it is an excellent suggestion, and very timely given the difficulties we are facing with fuel bill, inflation, etc.

Pippa. Such a good idea.

Thank you also for your informative threads.

It gets my vote ? Pippa, very helpful.

A very good idea let’s hope Admin can set it up.

kittylester

I think this is a really good idea.

I help run Carer Learning courses (for AgeUk) for people caring for people living with dementia of all kinds. Our mantra on the courses is "You don't know what you don't know until someone tells you'.

That certainly rings a bell, kittylester.

An awful lot of people don’t claim benefits because they don’t know they are entitled to them so this is a good idea PippaZ.

Brilliant idea

I think this a good idea but someone would need to ensure it is kept up-to-date. I was advised by the helpline at a reputable charity that I could claim a specific benefit but, on checking it, it is no longer open to new claimants.