Gideon Borges — Welfare Benefits Officer
I provide practical support to people who are trying to understand and access the welfare benefits and support available to them in the UK.
My work is particularly focused on helping people who find the benefits system difficult to navigate — whether because of language barriers, complicated personal circumstances, unfamiliarity with the system, or simply because forms, evidence requirements and official correspondence can be overwhelming.
I can help with understanding benefit entitlement, completing forms, preparing supporting evidence, responding to correspondence and making sense of decisions and requirements. I also provide practical support with housing-related benefits and other issues that often overlap with a person’s financial and welfare situation.
A perspective shaped by different countries and cultures
I have spent much of my adult life living outside my country of birth. Over a period of around 36 years, I have lived as an immigrant in Italy, Switzerland and England.
Moving between countries has given me first-hand experience of adapting to different languages, cultures, institutions and ways of dealing with official systems. I know what it is like to have to understand unfamiliar procedures, communicate across language and cultural differences, and work out where to go for help.
This experience is particularly relevant to the way I work with people from migrant and multilingual communities. I understand that asking for help with benefits can sometimes feel uncomfortable or intimidating, especially when someone is unfamiliar with the system or worried about getting something wrong.
My personal experience does not make me an immigration adviser, and I do not present myself as one. Rather, it helps me understand the circumstances in which many people are trying to navigate the UK benefits system.
My professional background
I have developed my experience through practical work supporting people with welfare benefits, housing and related administrative matters. This has given me an understanding of the difficulties people can face when dealing with government departments, local authorities, landlords and other organisations.
I also have formal training in counselling. I hold a Level 3 Certificate in Applied Counselling Studies and am continuing my professional development in therapeutic counselling. My counselling training has strengthened my ability to listen carefully, ask appropriate questions, understand individual circumstances and communicate in a respectful and non-judgemental way.
I speak English, Portuguese and Italian, allowing me to communicate directly with people who may find it difficult to deal with complex information in English.
How I work
I believe that good benefits support is about more than simply filling in a form. It is about understanding a person’s circumstances, identifying the relevant issues, helping them present their situation clearly and making sure that important information and evidence are not overlooked.
I aim to explain complicated matters in straightforward language rather than relying on technical terminology. Where something is uncertain, I will say so rather than give false reassurance.
I also recognise the limits of my role. I am a welfare benefits adviser, not a solicitor, barrister, regulated immigration adviser or financial adviser. I do not provide regulated immigration advice or other professional services that require separate qualification or authorisation. Where an issue falls outside my role, I will make this clear and, where appropriate, recommend seeking help from a suitably qualified or regulated professional.
My aim is simple: to help people understand their position, prepare their case properly and deal with the benefits system with greater confidence.
WhatsApp-me @UKBenefits
