Our registered office is located in Tottington, Bury, Lancashire. Visitors are welcome by prior appointment, Monday to Friday. In addition, we hold monthly drop-in and outreach advice sessions at various locations across the North West, which are open to the public. Our CIC registration details are provided below. Legally registered as Advocacy for Disabled People CIC, we trade as Fightback4Justice. We operate as a non-profit Community Interest Company with asset-locked status. This means that, even in the unlikely event of closure, all assets — such as computers and equipment — must be transferred to a similar organisation, as no individual can personally benefit from Fightback. We are fully insured, holding both Professional Indemnity and Public Liability cover, and our staff and volunteers are appropriately insured. We also maintain up-to-date Data Protection registration and training. Fightback is a Disability Confident Level 2 employer since 2017 and remains committed to improving opportunities and support for disabled people both within our organisation and throughout the wider community.
Donations that we receive are reinvested directly into running Fightback and expanding our reach and services. This includes contributions from our form completion service, which are vital to our sustainability. We currently employ 12 team members and 2 volunteers, who operate our 12 free advice lines as well as our VIP lines and live chat service full-time. Additional funding will enable us to extend our opening hours, train more advice line volunteers, and meet growing demand. The same applies to our VIP service, which provides priority access and hundreds of valuable resources designed to guide people through the application and appeal process, ensuring they receive both expert support and the tools to advocate for themselves. The advice lines are open daily, providing support to disabled people, carers and vulnerable individuals across the UK. In March 2026, we handled a total of 3,059 calls, averaging around 200 calls per day. We also received between 1,700 and 2,000 emails each week. Approximately 85% of our services were provided free of charge, offering advice and support.
We are a name you can trust and have been runners up in numerous awards, in 2014 we were runners up for the Disability Group at the prestigious Diversity Awards, in 2013 we won People’s Champion awards, in 2014 we were awarded a grant from the Nationwide for Community Group of the quarter and again we were nominated in 2015. In the years following, Fightback was Nominated by Tesco as a Community Group in 2016 and came runner up once again in the Community Disability Group category of the National Diversity Awards 2019. One of our proudest moments came in 2024 as we were selected by ITN for the Advent Calendar Heroes campaign. We were also invited and gave oral evidence to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) about systematic violations by our Government to disabled people. Experience is our greatest trainer and we have assisted with thousands of successful PIP/ESA claims, Appeals and Advocated in Court, supporting in 900 plus assessments since inception in 2013. We also offer face to face assistance in completing Disability Benefits Forms, Appeals Advocacy and over payments.
As the founder, I hold an LLB with Honours in Law from the University of Bolton (2012) and a Certificate of Legal Education from Manchester Metropolitan University, alongside AS Law. Over the years, I have completed two law degrees. In 2013, I qualified and was certified as a voluntary Gateway Adviser with Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), where I worked full-time as a Law and Outreach Benefits Adviser from 2012 to 2013. During this time, I attended numerous specialist training courses, including the DWP’s own PIP training and the latest Care Act course delivered by Irwin Mitchell Solicitors.
In 2014, I worked for a local solicitor’s firm managing the Welfare Benefits Department and training new staff. Since then, as many of you know, I have continued to gain extensive experience through founding and running Fightback, alongside my eldest daughter, Chloe, who serves as our full-time Office Manager and form-filling specialist. Our team includes dedicated friends and colleagues — two qualified lawyers, a final-year law student, a mental health nurse and a children’s nurse with 30 years’ experience and an occupational therapist. Each team member has been personally trained to the highest standards, with ongoing professional development to stay updated on changes in legislation, assessment trends, and sector news.
We regularly attend meetings and forums with the DWP, assessment providers, and other organisations to stay informed about developments in the disability benefits system. Our internal and external training programmes are continuous, and all caseworkers and phone advisers are qualified in Data Protection, Safeguarding, and Benefits Advice to City & Guilds standards. We stay current with the latest DWP and tribunal developments — often firsthand through our direct involvement with officials across various regions. We also work closely with local MPs and charities to provide free advice sessions within the community. I have been invited as a guest speaker at nine events for various groups across the North West, attending voluntarily with only travel expenses covered. Our team regularly attends specialist welfare rights training and professional development events to ensure our advice remains current and accurate. This includes ongoing engagement with assessment providers, CPAG (Child Poverty Action Group), welfare rights practitioners and attendance at the annual CPAG Welfare Rights Conference. Additionally, we deliver our own sessions, training NAS and housing association staff, local authority teams, and providing ongoing advice and support to local MP offices.
We are proud to partner with nine Multiple Sclerosis Society groups across England, delivering specialist welfare benefits advice, advocacy, and support services. Through these partnerships, funding is available in selected areas, enabling people living with MS to access expert assistance when they need it most. We also work closely with the Lancashire Fusiliers Association and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) support groups, providing their members with tailored advice, guidance, and representation. Alongside our client services, we regularly collaborate with charities, support groups, and community organisations by attending meetings and events to provide free welfare rights advice, information sessions, and practical guidance to service users. If you represent a charity, support group, or community organisation and would like us to speak with your members or service users, we would be delighted to help at no cost. We can deliver presentations, Q&A sessions, welfare rights updates, and benefits awareness workshops, either in person or online. To find out more about how we can support your organisation, please contact us.
