Hi

I work for Advice Services Alliance Advicenow. We've been commissioned by the LSC to pilot the use of online self-management resources. These will be aimed at callers to CLS Direct who are ineligible for legal help, and the general public.

Three topic areas have been identified as potential resources but we only have enough funding to produce two.

We're really keen to get feedback from advisers on which topics you think we should undertake first. We'd particularly like to know:
• In which areas you think there is most need (i.e. where there is a need from the public/your service users but few or no resources to meet it)
• How useful you think self-management resources could be for clients
• If you would like to be involved - helping ensure we've hit the right note, helping us find case studies, peer reviewing etc
• If there is anything crucial missed out of the outline (below)

Self-management resources include information on the issue itself; a guide to the actions needed to resolve the problem; and material providing the knowledge and skills to manage the problem effectively. They also encourage the reader to seek further advice (and explain how) at stages where that is appropriate.

The areas the LSC has selected are:

1.) Interviews under caution
This would include:
• The meaning and possible repercussions of an interview under caution
• Acknowledge the stress of the situation
• Explain what will happen at the interview
• Explain that representation is ideal but difficult to obtain. Explain how it might be obtained.
• Explain alternatives - advice first, take a friend, etc.
• How to deal with the interview - how to answer questions, how to keep calm, how to deal with accusations that aren't true.
• After the interview
• When to get post-interview advice.

2.) Disability benefits - reviewing and appealing decisions
It is not yet decided whether this would focus on DLA and AA or Incapacity Benefit.
This would:
• Explain review and appeal processes, and their implications
• Help users to manage their own review or appeal better
• Explain the importance of representation, if available (and where to go)
• Attending the oral hearing, and how to deal with questions, remain calm, ensuring you've said everything you want to say
• What happens after the decision

3.) Facing eviction
This would be ‘crisis intervention’ for people who haven't dealt with the problem and now face a possession hearing.
The key message would be 'go to the hearing'.
It would:
• Focus on practical advice (i.e. gather details of income and outgoings, take relevant paperwork, arrive in time to see the duty adviser if there is one, etc)
• Acknowledge the stress of the situation
• It would contain an explanation of who duty advisers are and what they can do
• Explanation of what to do if your possession hearing is still a few weeks off

All comments gratefully received! Feel free to get in touch at theresa.harris@advicenow.org.uk

Thanks for reading.

Theresa
www.advicenow.org.uk