What Can an Advocate Assist You With?
The level of support an advocate provides is entirely up to your needs and the specific form of advocacy you're looking to engage with.
Advocates can offer varying types of assistance, depending on the issues you'd like to address.
Medical and Social Care Consultations
If you have a medical appointment or need help obtaining certain treatments, an advocate can accompany you or assist you in conversing with healthcare providers—be it through calls, written communication, or face-to-face interactions.
For more guidance on communicating with your healthcare providers, see our page on talking to your GP.
Issues at Work
If you're encountering difficulties at work, an advocate can help clarify your employment rights. In specific cases, like if you're facing workplace discrimination due to your mental health, an advocate could represent you during conversations with your employer or even accompany you during official meetings.
Mind have some great legal pages on discrimination at work for more information about your rights in the workplace
Navigating Benefit Claims
You might need to :
- File a claim for benefits
- Undergo a Work Capability Assessment (WCA)
- Contest a denied benefit claim
In such instances, an advocate can :
- Clarify your entitlements concerning welfare benefits
- Assist you in claiming the benefits you qualify for
- Handle phone communications
- Go to appointments with you
- Guide you through the process of disputing a claim
Community resources like Disability Rights UK and Citizens Advice can offer additional help and information.
Addressing Housing Concerns
Should you be dealing with housing-related issues like rent arrears, an advocate can guide you through your rights and help liaise with local councils and housing agencies.
Shelter and Groundswell provide advocacy services specially geared towards housing concerns. Shelter also runs a helpline and in-person advisory centres across the UK.
For further advice on housing issues, see our section dedicated to housing and mental well-being.