Advocacy
Find out what advocacy is and how our advocacy services can support you.
What is advocacy?
Advocacy is about having someone on your side to help you be heard. An advocate makes sure your views, wishes, and rights are listened to when important decisions are being made about your life. They don’t make choices for you – that’s for you to do – but they will support you to understand your options, speak up for yourself, and make sure your voice has real influence.
What advocates do
An advocate will help you to:
- speak up about what you want
- know what your rights are
- understand information so you can make your own decisions
They can support you to:
- speak up at meetings
- get the right support
- make a complaint
- get the services you need
As advocates, we’re here to stand beside you – not tell you what to do or make decisions for you. We don’t take sides or judge. Our role is to make sure your voice is heard. Because we’re completely independent, our support is always fair and unbiased. And everything you share with us stays confidential, unless you ask us to share it or there’s a serious risk of harm.
Independent Mental Health Advocate
Types of advocacy
There are a range of different types of advocacy. Click on a heading below to read more about each type.
Statutory advocacy
Some people have a legal right to an independent advocate. This is called statutory advocacy.
An advocate is someone who is on your side, who helps you understand your rights, and who makes sure your voice is heard in important decisions about your life.
Statutory Advocacy is always free, confidential, and independent of the services making the decisions.
There are different types of statutory advocacy for people in different situations:
- Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA): for people detained or treated under the Mental Health Act. An IMHA helps explain your rights, treatment options, and supports people to be fully involved in decisions.
- Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA): for people who lack capacity to make a specific decision about serious medical treatment or long-term accommodation, and who don’t have family or friends to speak for them. An IMCA makes sure decisions are made in the person’s best interests.
- Independent Care Act Advocacy (ICAA): for people who have difficulty understanding or taking part in social care assessments, planning, or reviews, and who have no one else to support them. A Care Act advocate helps them engage in the process and ensures their wishes are considered.
- Independent Health Complaints Advocacy (IHCA): provides free, impartial support to people making complaints about treatment or care received from the NHS. An advocate can help them understand and navigate the complaints process.
- Children and young people’s advocacy: giving young people a voice in care placements, education, or safeguarding issues.
Community advocacy
Not all advocacy is a legal right. Community advocacy is support that charities, community organisations, or local authorities provide even when the law doesn’t require it.
It works in a similar way to statutory advocacy: an independent advocate listens to you, helps you understand your options, and makes sure your voice is heard.
Just like statutory advocacy, community advocacy is free, confidential, and independent. But because it isn’t set out in law, the availability of community advocacy can vary depending on where you live and what services are funded locally. Some common areas include:
- Learning disability and autism advocacy to help people understand their rights, attend meetings, and make decisions about everyday life.
- Mental health support for people in the community who need help to have their say in care and treatment.
- General advocacy, available to anyone who wants independent help to navigate services, challenge decisions, or raise concerns.
Paid advocacy
When statutory or community advocacy are not available, paid advocacy can be a valuable option.
For a small fee you have access to an advocate who will help you understand your rights and ensure your voice is heard in whatever situation you find yourself.
For more information on our services take a look at our dedicated Paid Advocacy page.
Spot-purchase advocacy
Spot Purchase advocacy is when a council or NHS body arranges a one-off advocate for someone who has a legal right to advocacy, but no regular service is available. It helps make sure everyone who needs an advocate can get support, even in special or urgent situations.
How advocates work
In each type of advocacy there are two ways that advocates can work. Click below to find out more.
Instructed advocacy
You tell the advocate what you would like them to say and do. The advocate’s role is to work with you to bring together what you have to say in a way that puts your point of view across clearly. The advocate supports you in what you want to achieve.
Non-instructed advocacy
Non-instructed advocacy recognises that people have fundamental rights and needs, even if they are unable to communicate what they would like.
People who have trouble in expressing their wishes are at a greater risk of being excluded from decision making processes. Non-instructed advocacy can play an important part in making sure they are treated equally.
A non-instructed approach can be used when a person is unable to instruct their advocate or communicate their wishes and feelings.
Non-instructed advocacy is considered where there is reason to believe that a person may lack capacity to consent to advocacy support because they cannot do one of the following:
- Understand information regarding the advocacy role.
- Retain information about advocacy.
- Use or weigh up information to consent / instruct an advocate.
- Communicate their decision about wanting an advocate.
Our advocates use trusted ways to support people who can’t always say what they want. They know that someone’s ability to make decisions can change, and they always look for opportunities to involve them in making their own choices.
Hear directly from one of our advocates
One of our Independent Mental Health Advocates gives just one example of how an advocate can offer support and the difference that can make.
Paid advocacy
The Advocacy Project can support you wherever you are.
Our Paid Advocacy service introduces you to an expert advocate who will listen to you help you understand your rights, and support you to make your wishes known. They could write letters with you, take part in video calls, or even accompany you to meetings.
They’re on your side, championing you, every step of the way.
Our community advocacy services
Kensington & Chelsea Advocacy
Helping you have your say in health and social care
Westminster Advocacy
Helping you have your say in health and social care
We also offer a range of statutory advocacy services which are not open access. Only health and care professionals can refer people to those services. If you are a professional and you would like to find out more please visit our professional referrals page.
Our advocates
Our advocates come from all background and all walks of life. Their diversity is their strength. With a wide range of life experience and professional expertise they are able to support you whatever situation you find yourself in.