Web chat
Welfare Web Chat is a free online chat service on our website. It is intended to help with welfare-related enquiries as an alternative to using the telephone helpline, email or web contact form.
Availability
You are able to use the chat function between the hours of 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday (this is subject to availability of staff and hours/days may vary). The Welfare Navigators answer web chat enquiries and aim to do so within a minute of you starting a chat.
In our Welfare Navigators we currently have three experienced members of staff – Lucy, Neil, Casidhe and Martyn. When there is no one available to chat, you will have the option of leaving an out of hours message and this will be responded to, the morning of the next working day.
How we can help over web chat
Examples of what we will be able to assist you with within the web chat:
- Enquiries about eligibility
- Information about what type of assistance we can provide
- Details of local case-working organisations
Examples of what we will not be able to assist with within the web chat:
- Case/application updates
- Enquiries that are not welfare-related (but we will tell you who to contact at the Fund)
How to start a chat
- The service is available on all pages of our website
- To start a chat simply click on the 'Chat live now' button that will appear in the bottom right of the screen
- A box will open that will ask you to enter your name (your first name only is fine) and you will be required to tick a checkbox to confirm you have read and agree with the use of your data
- When you are ready, press the 'Start Chat' button and a member of our Welfare Navigators will respond as soon as they can
- You will be able to request a copy of the chat transcript at the end of the chat by entering your email address
Please note: Some enquiries may take some time to answer and may require a follow up telephone call, don't worry we will keep you updated during the chat and provide clear guidance.