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

“Benefits” as a stand alone thread please.

"Benefits" or "Benefits, Legal & Money" so that it is near the start of the list, please.

I'm not imagining it as an authoritative source that is somehow kept up to date, but as a more organised way than we have just now for people to ask for, and give, info and advice about benefits.

GN can put a disclaimer at the top, as MN do on their "Relationships" board to say that they don't guarantee the accuracy of anything posted.

Will the new thread in Chat need to be more then the 4 pages of interest already expressed??

Could HQ not just move this out of 'Site stuff' and onto 'Chat' if that's what they want??‍♀️

And do people really look for current topics by forum?
There appears to be three threads showing - more or less - current activity, Active, Last Hour, Last Day.

If I want to browse threads and find one that catches my eye, it will always be by title of the subject matter. I certainly do not browse by forum title in the least.
So whether this issue appears under the heading 'Chat', Site Stuff' or anything else is of no significance to me - it is the bold topic title which draws me in (or not!)

Think the responses already show interest.

Agreed ixion.

SoniaGransnet. It already has traction, four pages of support and not one dissenter that I can see. Why would anyone even think this is not a good idea?

Justine Roberts said she set up GN so over 50s could give one another peer-to-peer support which is what we want to give to on another. Why are you making this difficult?

I know that you can move a thread if you think it could be in a more appropriate section so if you think it would be better in Chat then go ahead.

This is just a programming tweak. A new dedicated section that could slot in on the left hand side of the section lists close to Bereavement and Care & Carers - two life events which have benefits entitlement but which can be a labyrinth to claim from the DWP. That as opposed to adding it to Legal and Money which covers a myriad of non-benefits related topics.

Forgive me but I am absolutely stumped as to why GN are resisting this. There has never been a more pressing time for help with claiming benefits. The DWP are in disarray. Months to handle the most basic enquiry and phone lines that are rarely answered. Outrageous cuts in universal credit, worries about funding care, spiralling fuel costs adding to poverty. We just want a section where we can help one another negotiate the claims labyrinth so people get the help they are entitled to.

You did not supply a contact address where we can contact Justine Roberts. I for one would love to ask her why such a simple change request is being resisted. She does not reply to comms send to justine@mumsnet.

One final thing: This it what is says in your financial accounts for 2020:

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

I'm not seeing any evidence of that right now.

Yes a great idea so many different things you can claim but don't know about. Somethings apparently link into other benefits and if you have never been in that 'world' before it is a minefield and very difficult to understand. Also trying to actually talk to anyone especially the pension service is a nightmare. Years ago i believe there were offices you could actually go to and speak to someone, now sadly all online or over the phone. Its a harsh world we live in

I've started a thread on "Chat" and asked people to add their opinions, which will should speed up HQ's action on the subject. Calling it "Benefits, Legal and Money" recycles an existing topic, which doesn't add another topic to the list.

Good post Early.
You're right - a separate Benefits section would be best.

Thank you Elegran for starting a thread.
I guess I better get over there to show support.

SoniaGransnet have GN users really told you that they find the site difficult to navigate?
Or only those on MN?

I do find the list of topics on MN quite confusing, but that on GN is much simpler.

Sonia perhaps you could have moved this thread into Chat?
I don’t understand what difference it makes where this thread is, but if it was so impossible that it exists in the Chat subforum, the thread could have been moved?
GN’s response to this is even more baffling than usual…

Important, not impossible

What has happened to the original thread ? Four Pages of comments, which I can’t find.

Oops, this is the original thread.

I simply do not understand the problem with this. Perhaps GNHQ could explain.

On "Mumsnet" there is a flash across the top of the page saying "Motherhood is a spectrum of emotions, it's OK to ask for help". This seems to have been paid for by "Maltesers" who are "supporting mum's mental health".

Is the fact that the over 50 benefits problems will not bring money with it, the issue? If so I have a feeling we need to talk about this outside this forum. Perhaps a call to Women's Hour - Mumsnet are always on there.

I have never heard GNHQ on there talking about the fact that their demographic has issues and, according to official figures, £1.6bn in pension credit is going unclaimed each year with nearly 1m pensioner households missing out on an average £1,600. Pension credit take-up is the lowest of all means-tested benefits, with 40 per cent of those eligible failing to claim. Nor are the issues with this sandwich generation knowing where they can get help claiming for disabled children, elderly relatives - or themselves.

We are only asking for an area where we can help and support one another.

Come on GNHQ. Explain where the problem is!

Sadly, it looks as if this has been left to die on the vine. We can, apparently, talk about how to invest our excess money, about death, other legal matter, we can talk about work and volunteering but not (speaking softly here for fear of offending our masters) the trials and tribulations of having too little or being ill or disabled and needing extra care.

Thanks to all those who contributed. I'm feeling pretty sad about this but that's life I suppose.

Just checked in to see if any progress and read your post PippaZ. I think you’ve summed it up perfectly. It’s very disappointing. Perhaps there is progress being made behind the scenes. But, I suspect that’s unlikely.

Such a shame PippaZ and shockingly rude of GN not to respond. We know we have to report out own posts to draw them to the attention of staff and they are aware.

Without any shred of evidence to suggest otherwise, I am in no doubt that Justine Roberts has no interest in GN. It doesn't make her money. In fact, it doesn't have any money. Mumsnet is a failing company.

I doubt anything we say here actually gets passed to her. She (or her PA, which she must have) doesn't respond to anything sent to her Mumsnet email address.

Seriously? Try writing to her at: Deane House Studios, Studios 13-16, 27 Greenwood Place, London NW5 1LB and keep on writing until she responds.

PippaZ
I don’t understand why there is a problem. Given our age, state benefits are relevant to those who have financial or health problems. It’s disappointing, but at least you/we tried.

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?