? Reinstate the Benefits Forum! ? Please Sign ?

Original thread, with GNHQ’s response www.gransnet.com/forums/site_stuff/1314416--Disappearing-Sub-Forums-Alert

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Here?

I agree with you Fanny. There is no good reason not to have a separate Benefits thread.

Someone searching for advice that’s specific to these this topic would find it much easier without having to trawl through dozens of posts on the other topics.

This is particularly important for anyone who is struggling with health issues, particularly eyesight problems.

I might have misunderstood but if the threads about benefits are still on GN, what's the problem?

HQ's explanation seems straightforward to me.

This is particularly important for anyone who is struggling with health issues, particularly eyesight problems

There is a Health Forum.

I doubt GN is the first place people come to for info about benefits to which they may be entitled but, as HQ says, the legal and money forum will (¿does? ¿is more likely to?) show up in ggle searches. That sounds like a +

Tinkering for the sake of tinkering? I would have thought HQ could put their efforts into addressing rather more important issues such as the hopeless search facility about which there have been many complaints. If I want to search for something on GN I end up doing it on Google.

I expect GN's "hopeless search facility" is SO hopeless it would take more tech ability than even Mumsnet Towers has on board ???

I am signing here in support of reinstating the forum.

I have posted this on the Disappearing sub forums thread, in the hope that HQ will read widely!! -
Please, HQ, take a long look at your demographics here on GN.
And then, look at headlines everywhere talking about Austerity, rising fuel bills, rising food bills and how so many will find it well nigh impossible to make ends meet this winter.

Benefits are playing a vital part in people's lives currently.

It is essential that this site offers help and advice, even more so latterly.

People need to have to be able to find this help and advice immediately - just look in the forums under B for Benefits snd Advice.

Why are Benefits threads more likely to show up on Google if they are in Legal & Money instead of in Benefits & Pensions?

For someone who is not googling but is looking at the list of GN topics, there will now be no mention of Benefits at all.
They will have to guess that there might be something useful to them in Legal & Money and then trawl through numerous irrelevant threads hoping to find it.
Having Pensions & Benefits grouped together makes it much easier to see a thread that might be useful.

Baggs

*This is particularly important for anyone who is struggling with health issues, particularly eyesight problems*

There is a Health Forum.

You have totally missed the point, I struggle with health issues and am visually impaired. I don’t need opinions on my issues from a ‘Health’ forum but I do need to find information about benefits, pensions and related matters quickly and easily.

I agree that the Benefits Forum should be reinstated.
To say it was not well used when one thread clocked up 1000 posts is ridiculous.
Knowledge of the various benefits is generally scanty, and those with knowledge and experience of same are eager to help others.
Please reinstate as a separate Board,

Blossoming

Baggs

This is particularly important for anyone who is struggling with health issues, particularly eyesight problems

There is a Health Forum.

You have totally missed the point, I struggle with health issues and am visually impaired. I don’t need opinions on my issues from a ‘Health’ forum but I do need to find information about benefits, pensions and related matters quickly and easily.

Yes, Blossoming, that was exactly my point, which Baggs obviously missed! Spending ages trawling through a thread containing mixed topics would be exhausting, even too much, for some people.

I live in a block of Independent Living flats and, from time to time, I am asked by neighbours with their difficulties regarding benefits.

Having seen the distress some are in I cannot believe GN has done this. Most people just need support, need to know someone is saying "yes, that's right". It is so often people living alone who get incredibly anxious.

I put this on the "Benefits Forum Removed" thread in answer to the GN "reasons". The last paragraph seems to me to be the most important.

Your reasons do not make sense to me. If you do not mention "Benefits" in the title, people will not know to look there.

Many general areas have already had a lot of effort put in. The very helpful GNetters who did this may as well not have bothered.

If they are not part of this conversation, it's unlikely to occur to those looking that "benefits" come under "Legal, pensions and money" (which title would make me think of investments, not benefits).

I understand you want "engagement". However, every GN member who needs help or support, particularly now, is just as important as those with money to splash around, aren't they?

Well said DaisyAnne.

I just saw this on another thread, posted by DaisyAnne :
MN/GN are commercial enterprises. I imagine that is why we can't suggest we have GNetters on benefits. It would give pause for thought about whether we have the money to feed the system.

I hadn't thought of that. If you're right, that's appalling from GN/MN.

Now there isn't even a namecheck for Benefits in the title of the Legal & Money section .

Blimey ?

?

It does actually make sense though (from their point of view)

They’ve got to do everything they can to keep the Good Ship Gransnet afloat

Worrying times for everyone.

It’s just a shame that they can’t share stuff with us