Fightback4Justice is the trading name of Advocacy for Disabled People CIC, a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) with an asset lock since 2015. This means that no individual can personally benefit from the organisation’s assets and, in the unlikely event of closure, all assets must be transferred to a similar organisation for community benefit, and all profit must be put back into the community in some way. 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 in our office on the first Wednesday of each month, open to the public between 9.30 am and 2.30 pm; no appointment necessary. We are fully insured, holding Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance, and all staff and volunteers are appropriately covered. We maintain up-to-date Data Protection registration and training and have been a Disability Confident Level 2 employer since 2017. We are also trained in safeguarding and first aid.
We are unfunded by grants or government, and all donations and contributions received are reinvested directly into the organisation to maintain and expand our services, including VIP subscriptions, which are vital to our sustainability. We currently have 9 team members and 1 volunteer. We have 5 staff who operate our free advice lines, VIP service, live chat support and email and telephone advice lines.
Our VIP service provides priority support alongside hundreds of resources designed to help people navigate disability benefit claims and appeals with confidence, so that people can help themselves apply and appeal for disability benefits.
Our advice lines operate daily, supporting disabled people, carers and vulnerable individuals throughout the UK. In March 2026 alone, we handled 3,059 telephone calls, averaging around 200 calls per day, alongside over 2,000 emails each week and 550 Facebook messages. Approximately 85% of our services were provided free of charge.
A Track Record You Can Trust.
Since our formation in 2013, Fightback4Justice has been recognised for its work within the disability community. Our achievements include:
• People’s Champion Award Winner 2013.
• National Diversity Awards Disability Group Runner-Up 2014.
• Nationwide Community Group Grant Recipient 2014.
• Nationwide Community Group Nominee 2015.
• Tesco Community Group Nominee 2016.
• National Diversity Awards Disability Group Runner-Up 2019.
• Selected by ITN for the Advent Calendar Heroes Campaign 2024.
We have also provided oral evidence to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) regarding the experiences of disabled people within the UK benefits system. Since 2013, we have assisted with thousands of successful benefit claims, Mandatory Reconsiderations, assessments, and tribunal hearings, supporting more than 900 assessments and offering face-to-face assistance with disability benefit forms, and handling over 2,000 appeal hearings.
Our Founder
Michelle holds an LLB (Hons) in Law from the University of Bolton and a Certificate of Legal Education from Manchester Metropolitan University. She has completed extensive specialist welfare rights training throughout her career.
In 2013, Michelle qualified as a Gateway Adviser with Citizens Advice and worked as a full-time Law and Outreach Benefits Adviser. During this period, she completed specialist training, including DWP PIP training and numerous other training resources delivered by DWP, CAB and CPAG, along with other legal organisations.
In 2014, Michelle managed the Welfare Benefits Department of a local solicitor’s practice before establishing Fightback4Justice as a full-time service supporting disabled people across the UK.
The organisation is supported by a dedicated multidisciplinary team, including:
• Legally Qualified Advocates
• A final-year law student
• A mental health nurse
• A former trading standards officer
• Support worker
• Specialist welfare benefits advisers and advocates both disabled and non disabled
Our Team
The team is led operationally by Chloe, who works alongside Michelle to oversee service delivery and training and the legal side, and Amanda who manages day to day office operations. All advisers receive ongoing training and professional development to ensure advice remains accurate, up to date and informed by current legislation, tribunal decisions and assessment practices.
Training and Professional Standards
All caseworkers and advisers are trained in:
• Data Protection
• Safeguarding
• Welfare Benefits Advice
We regularly engage with welfare rights organisations, assessment providers, government departments and professional bodies to remain informed about developments within the benefits system. Our team also attends specialist welfare rights conferences and training events, including those delivered by CPAG (Child Poverty Action Group).
In addition, we often provide training and support to housing associations, local authority teams, charities and can engage with Members of Parliament.
Partnerships and Community Work
We are proud to work alongside nine Multiple Sclerosis Society groups across England, providing specialist welfare benefits advice, advocacy and support. We also support members of the Lancashire Fusiliers Association and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) support groups, alongside numerous local charities and community organisations.
As part of our commitment to the community, we regularly provide free welfare rights presentations, question-and-answer sessions, benefits awareness workshops and information events, both online and in person, and advice posts on social media ensure you like and follow the page for updates. If you represent a charity, support group or community organisation and would like us to speak to your members or service users, we would be delighted to help.
Fightback4Justice was founded on the belief that disabled people deserve fair treatment, honest advice and access to support when challenging unfair decisions. We understand how overwhelming the benefit system can feel, and our aim has always been to provide professional, supportive and realistic guidance whilst empowering people to advocate for themselves wherever possible.
As Michelle says:
“I started Fightback because I believe everybody deserves the right to challenge unfair decisions. Every day we see the difference proper support can make to somebody’s life, and that is why Fightback exists.”
Advice is always free of charge. We have been a registered, unfunded by grants, not-for-profit organisation since 2015, although Fightback itself originated in 2013. Approximately 85% of our work remains completely free of charge.
We currently operate 12 phone lines offering free advice Monday to Friday from 9.30 am to 5 pm, together with a Facebook messaging service and unlimited email support, all free to use. We also offer a range of labour-intensive paid services to further support people with their claims where needed.
We operate a fully secure and professional VIP platform with rolling monthly subscriptions starting from £4.99 or £11.99, depending on the package selected, with no minimum term and the option to cancel at any time. The platform contains extensive self-help resources, videos, and guidance materials compiled by our team, and also provides access to a priority one-to-one chat service, priority helpline and email support, together with specialist case-handling advice and critique services. You can easily access a professional for one-to-one advice on most benefit-related issues.
Should You Pay for Help With Your Disability Benefit Claim?
The decision whether to pay for assistance with a PIP, ESA, Universal Credit, DLA, ADP or Attendance Allowance claim is entirely a personal one. Every individual’s circumstances, confidence levels and support needs are different. We believe people should be free to make an informed choice based on the level of help they feel they need, without pressure either way. We also offer alternative support options, including free advice by phone, email, message and face-to-face support where available, alongside our VIP self-help platform, guided self-representation, videos, sample forms, factsheets and fast access to our experienced team for guidance and expert critique when needed.
There are many excellent organisations offering free advice and guidance, and, for some people, that support may be sufficient. Others may prefer more practical hands-on assistance throughout the claims and appeals process. We are always happy to signpost individuals to local free support services where appropriate. Neither option is right nor wrong. It is about finding the support that works best for you.
Free Advice and Support
We recognise and value the important work carried out by organisations providing free welfare rights advice and support. Free guidance can be extremely helpful in understanding the benefit process, descriptors and appeals system. We also provide unlimited free information and guidance. Our free support service is available for most general enquiries relating to disability benefit claims and appeals, and our legal team can provide further guidance where needed or signpost to other services if a matter falls outside our area of expertise.
You can contact us by email at info@fightback4justice.co.uk or call our free advice line on 0161 672 7444.
Our Representation Services
Some people require more practical legal support with their claim, particularly where the process feels overwhelming or complex. In those situations, we may be able to offer assistance with:
• Initial PIP, Universal Credit, ESA, ADP, DLA and Attendance Allowance applications
• Reviewing and compiling supporting evidence
• Preparing legal submissions and liaising with the DWP and HMCTS where necessary
• Preparing for PIP and Work Capability Assessments
• Mandatory Reconsiderations for PIP, ESA, Universal Credit and DLA
• First-tier Tribunal appeals
• Upper Tribunal proceedings and set aside requests
Our representation services operate on either a fee-paying or pay-it-forward basis, depending on the type of case and level of support required. For appeals, there is usually an initial subsidised fee to help cover administrative and case-preparation costs, with optional add-on services available, such as legal submissions and, where possible, attendance at remote or in-person hearings.
If your appeal is successful and you receive back pay, we invite clients to make a voluntary pay-it-forward donation. These donations help us continue providing free advice services to the wider community and support the ongoing running of our organisation. However, it is important to note that this is entirely voluntary and not contractual.
We do not take a percentage of ongoing benefit awards or ongoing PIP payments.
As a fully registered and compliant long-standing not-for-profit organisation, we reinvest all donations and payments directly into maintaining our free advice services, funding our daily advice lines and covering the running costs of our office and specialist team. Full details of fees and services for each benefit type are available on enquiry. We are also always open to discussing options for anybody struggling financially. In some circumstances, individuals with conditions such as MS or PCD may fall under separate service agreements where funding assistance may be available.
Will We Take On Every Appeal Case?
Unfortunately, no representative can ethically guarantee success or accept every case. We will always do our best to maximise the prospects of success, but this can sometimes require cooperation from the claimant in obtaining supporting evidence or documents which may strengthen the case. We will explain what is needed and support you through that process wherever possible. If important evidence cannot be obtained or there is insufficient time before a hearing, it can negatively affect the case. However, even when we cannot formally represent someone, we may still be able to provide extensive guidance and preparation through our VIP platform and advisory services.
If you already have a hearing date or expect to receive one shortly, we recommend contacting us as early as possible on 0161 672 7444 or via email at info@fightback4justice.co.uk for free impartial advice.
When agreeing to act, we carry out ongoing assessments of the claim, evidence and legal issues involved. This allows us to provide honest advice regarding the prospects of success and identify areas where further evidence or argument may strengthen the claim.
There may be occasions where our legal opinion differs from the points a claimant wishes to pursue. In those situations, we will always explain why we believe certain descriptors are stronger or weaker legally and discuss alternative approaches openly and honestly. We will never deliberately exaggerate or misrepresent difficulties.
Whilst this may not always be what someone hopes to hear, we believe that realistic and transparent advice is essential from the outset, whether someone is using our representation services or simply seeking guidance.
We are highly experienced in disability benefit law and advocacy and remain committed to acting professionally, ethically and within the framework of the law at all times. Our founder and some members of our team are legally qualified to an LLB (Hons) 2:1 standard or above. Michelle has over 15 years of experience in disability benefit law and previously worked as head of welfare benefits within a solicitors’ practice and before this as a law advocate at CAB.
Fightback4Justice has supported thousands of disabled people since the introduction of PIP. In addition, our team includes long-standing, experienced advocates, a mental health nurse, and an assessment buddy with extensive experience working with assessment providers, the DWP, Tribunals, and related organisations.
What If My Appeal Is Unsuccessful?
Unfortunately, not every appeal is successful. If this happens, we will discuss the available options with you and advise on the most appropriate next steps. Depending on the circumstances, this may involve making a fresh claim, seeking permission to appeal further, requesting a Statement of Reasons or, where appropriate, considering an application to the Upper Tribunal. Where we believe there are arguable grounds of appeal, we can assist with obtaining written reasons and discussing the legal merits of any onward appeal.
Our current Tribunal success rate is 89% over the last 13.5 years.
Our Approach
PIP and other disability benefit decisions are based on legal tests, evidence and how difficulties affect somebody for the majority of the time. Good representation is not about exaggerating difficulties. It is about presenting accurate, properly evidenced legal arguments which reflect the claimant’s genuine day-to-day functioning. We ensure that relevant and up-to-date case law is used appropriately where applicable. Our aim is always to provide clear, honest and supportive assistance whilst helping people understand all of the options available to them, whether that is free advice, guided self-help, form-filling support or full advocacy services.
