Everyone’s voice should be heard
At The Advocacy Project, we believe everyone has the right to be heard and to be treated with dignity and respect.
Sometimes, people need advocacy support but don’t meet the criteria for free (statutory) advocacy from their local authority or NHS. We wish this support were free for everyone, but unfortunately that isn’t always possible.
That’s why we offer a Paid Advocacy service. This is for people who can’t access statutory advocacy, or who would prefer to choose and pay for independent advocacy themselves.
What we can help with
Our advocates are specialists in social care and mental capacity. We can help you with social care-related issues, including:
- Understanding your rights and what social care services should provide;
- Support where someone has been assessed as lacking capacity to make certain decisions;
- Making sure your views, wishes and feelings are heard and taken seriously;
- Helping you prepare for conversations and decisions about care and support.
We will take time to understand your situation and what matters most to you. Our role is to support you to make your own decisions wherever possible.
Supporting a loved one
We can also support people who are helping a family member or friend navigate health or social care services. For example, you might:
- be supporting a family member who needs more care at home and wants help understanding their rights;
- be a parent of a young adult with care and support needs who wants to move towards more independent living;
- have a parent in hospital and be concerned about plans for discharge into a care home, and want to understand the legal and decision-making framework.
You do a fantastic job of giving people like me a voice, you have been brilliant today.
Previous advocacy service user
Accessible support
Our service is provided remotely. This means:
- support is offered online (email and video calls) or by phone;
- we can help with writing letters, preparing for meetings and joining meetings by video or phone;
- we cannot attend meetings or appointments in person.
Areas outside of our service
While we aim to be as clear and honest as possible, there are some things we are not able to support with.
We cannot help with:
- Benefits advice, including PIP
- Housing issues
- Attending medical appointments or tribunals
This is because these areas require specialist expertise that we don’t provide.
If you contact us about something we can’t help with, we will do our best to signpost you to an organisation that can.
How it works
Our Paid Advocacy service puts you in touch with an expert, independent advocate who specialises in social care.
We start with a free 15-minute consultation. This is a chance for us to listen, understand your situation, and talk through how we might be able to help with your social care issue.
Costs and next steps
- The service costs £45 per hour, paid in advance.
- If we can support you, we’ll send you a clear quote. This will explain:
- what actions the advocate will take;
- how long the work is likely to take;
- the total cost.
Once the agreed work has been completed, the advocate will review the outcome with you.
If you feel you need further support and want the advocate to continue working with you, we’ll provide another quote so you can decide how you would like to proceed.
Our aim is to be open, transparent and supportive every step of the way.
Is paid advocacy right for you?
If you don’t meet the criteria for free (statutory) advocacy, but want someone who is on your side, understands social care systems, and can offer confidential, person-centred support to help you feel informed and in control, our Paid Advocacy service could be right for you.
Use the form below to arrange a call with one of our friendly advisors to find out more.
Get in touch
If you’d like to find out more about costs or discuss whether this service is right for you, please get in touch with our advisors by completing the form below.
Contact us
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