Please could someone direct me to a free service/ agency (in the London area) that would be able to provide assistance with a complaint (& it's subsequent mishandling) against the DWP for their treatment of someone I know over a long period of time.
The situation has become extremely convoluted and I now need help to support the person with the complaint.
Specifically, I need someone with proven knowledge/ experience in this area and if the person concerned needs to meet face to face, the adviser would need to be female.
The person I'm supporting doesn't have current ties to the London area such as accommodation, being registered to vote etc.. (only friends in their area) and their mental health has been severely affected by the DWP's handling of their case. Due to this last point, it would be better to find somewhere where they can get an actual appointment rather than turning up and waiting for an indefinite period of time to be seen. I know this may be asking a lot in London but they are very much (& understandably so) on the verge of doing "something stupid" and cannot deal with unpredictability.
I haven't gone into any detail here because they are also a member and wouldn't want such information online.
The best I can suggest is contacting their Local Authority, most still have some form of welfare assistance, failing that do an internet search for "welfare advice" with their postcode, town/borough or county/London/
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
