New website for free check from MT's Benefits Doctor
By Jayne Warren - 20/08/2008
Mature Times' benefits doctor, Lee Healey, has launched a new pilot project to provide a checking and enabling service to help people claim the correct benefits entitlement and maximize their income.
Lee's service went live in August 2008 has already provided benefit checks to 1000 older people in The London Borough of Hillingdon, in partnership with Warm Zone.
Lee told us: "For many years I have firmly believed that the answer to that elusive question ‘what am I entitled to?’ lies with an expert benefits advisor providing a free, confidential benefit check.
“Although there are a number of ways to get a benefit check, I wanted to design a branded service that really concentrated on providing an expert, easy to understand check. Our service uses expert benefits advisors that provide benefit checks over the telephone and they know the benefits system inside out - we do not use any software!”
So what exactly IS a benefit check? Lee explained: “A benefit check ensures that your household income is fully maximised by: a) identifying current benefits and tax credits in payment, b) additional benefits and tax credits that you may be entitled to, and
c) 'passports' to other services or schemes you may be able to access. It's a bit like a benefits MOT.”
And what happens once the results are in? “The results are explained clearly and, if applicable, people are then referred to local advice services for help with any forms that need to be completed. We also keep in regular contact with all of the clients we identify additional benefits for, until their income is fully maximised."
Lee's future plans include working on a commission basis, so that local authorities, organisations or services can commission his company to provide benefit checks for vulnerable people. And, as the service develops, he hopes to have a UK wide call centre where everybody can access the service.
For more information, visit the website linked below.