Ask Angela – Able Community Care

Able Community Care has been in the same family for four decades and now provides live-in care services throughout the UK.

Since 1980 we have provided care and have met with thousands of families who are seeking an alternative to moving into a residential care home.

Meeting people inevitably leads, either at the time of an assessment or even years later, to questions for which people are looking for answers.

Information around all aspects of care is available but the road to finding out, especially at a time of crisis, about specific factors can be difficult and stressful. Able Community Care receives calls and emails on a regular basis with people asking if we can help with their search for information.

Recently these questions have been asked of us…

Question: There may be welfare benefits that I or my older friends could be entitled to. Is there a website, leaflet or booklet that lists all the welfare benefits that are available?

Answer: Yes, one of which is The BenefitsGuide.co.uk. This is a free to use resource which provides clear and comprehensive information on all available UK welfare benefits. This includes guidance on benefit applications, appeals, emergency assistance & legal help. It has been estimated that up to £20 billion of welfare benefits go unclaimed every year in the UK so it is worth checking.

Question: I am thinking about making a will and I read that many will writers are not qualified, legal professionals but are allowed to operate, is this true?

Answer: Yes, it is estimated that there are over 200,000 unregulated, unauthorized providers as they are known in the UK. Unauthorised, in that they are not regulated in the same way as solicitors and barristers.

If you wish to use an unregulated will writer you should check to see if they are a member of a recognized trade body such as the Institute of Professional Will Writers or the Society of Will Writers where they have to, as a member,  act with integrity, treat their clients fairly and comply with legal and regulatory requirements.