On Your Behalf

Listener Rebecca got in touch after getting a parking ticket. She’s a Blue Badge holder and after struggling to find a suitable parking space in Belfast, thought she was safe to park in a loading bay. She checked the rules online and left to enjoy an evening out. She returned to find a ticket and contacted On Your Behalf when her appeals were denied. Nuala Toman of Disability Action and IMTAC’s Dermot Devlin discuss what needs to be done to improve parking options for Blue Badge holders.

Sue Holderness (Marlene Boyce, Only Fools & Horses) recounts her experience of being scammed and highlights a new Scam Bingo game aimed at increasing scam awareness among over 65s. Victim Support NI CEO Janice Bunting explains what support and advice is available for victims of crime.

Raymond Gormley, Consumer Council energy expert, talks through several listeners’ questions around the £600 energy vouchers. Paula moved house and is worried she’ll miss out, Robert says his mother’s voucher was delivered to the wrong address and Philip is treasurer for a church and is worried the Rectory is ineligible. Pat Austin of National Energy Action joins the conversation.

Following a listener’s question about how to fund residential care for their parents, Brenda Kearns of Age NI talks through everything you need to consider when that decision is approaching.

Linda visits Community Advice Newry, Mourne & Down where a booklet full of cost of living tips has been produced.

Linda McAuley champions the cause of consumers in Northern Ireland, helping them to solve their problems, make the right choices and avoid the pitfalls - contact the show with your consumer and benefits queries:

Write to: OYB

BBC

Ormeau Avenue

BELFAST

BT2 8HQ

Listener Line: 02890 338314

E-mail via the website: www.bbc.co.uk/oyb

A report from the charity Sustrans suggests 41% of people with disabilities often have problems getting to their destination on a typical walked or wheeled journey. It highlights obstructions like parked cars, signage and street decoration, and makes suggestions to government and planners about how to improve things in future. Linda went for a walk this week with June Best, her guide dog Clyde, and Anne Madden of Sustrans to find out more about the Disabled Citizens Inquiry report.

Jimmy Hughes tackles a listener query about a noisy fish tank filter and Andy explains the difficulty he is facing getting his brother Thomas a passport to visit Canada where he was born.

Independent financial advisor Alice Gavin has advice on how to get your finances in order for 2023, Liam Duggan from Carers NI tells of the pressures facing carers, Siobhan Casey from Age NI on getting older people back into the workplace, Faith Westwood from Housing Rights explains what happens with the £600 energy voucher between tenants and landlords and word whizz Suzie Dent from Countdown on becoming a fully trained guide for people living with sight loss.

Plus Joan Davis is in the studio to talk us through a humanist funeral.

As the first £600 energy support payments begin to arrive in bank accounts and through letter boxes, Raymond Gormley of the Consumer Council explores what you need to know about the rollout, and answers listeners’ questions about eligibility.

All through January, On Your Behalf wants to help you start 2023 with the best foot forward. This week we’re looking at online safety with Tony Neate of Get Safe Online, and ask tech expert Louise Blain how gamers can stay safe playing online.

There’s lots to consider when arranging a funeral and a lot of different costs to weigh up at an already difficult time.

Listener Jean got in touch after her mother’s death. Her mother lived most of her life in Belfast but because she’d spent the last few years of her life in Armagh, Belfast City Council charged the family a higher fee for opening the grave. Jean applied for a rebate of the difference, showing proof of her mother’s address, and contacted On Your Behalf when months later she hadn’t received it.

Another listener, Amy, got in touch because more than a year after her father’s death she was still being charged for his mobile phone account. She’d tried to cancel it, but contacted On Your Behalf when the payments kept coming out of her bank account.

Stephen Larkin of the National Funeral Directors Association joins Linda in studio to discuss what families need to consider when it comes to arranging funerals and how to go about cancelling accounts and contracts.

All through January, On Your Behalf wants to help you start 2023 with the best foot forward. Nutrition consultant Sal Hanvey and fitness instructor Tony O’Neill are in studio with advice on how to eat better, be more active and save money.

The initial process of rolling out £600 government energy payments to households in Northern Ireland has begun.

Households will receive their payments in different ways, depending on how they pay for domestic electricity.

Kevin Higgins of Advice NI and Pat Austen of National Energy Action give their analysis of the scheme to Linda and highlight questions that still need answered.

We look at post-Christmas refund and return rights with Damien Doherty from Trading Standards NI, and we’ll set you up for shopping in 2023 with a checklist of things to consider before you checkout.

Paul Hatty of the British Insurance Brokers Association explains listeners’ insurance policy questions. Actor Dan Gordon lost a set of car keys, but found his policy didn’t cover him because he had a spare, and Catherine was shocked to find her holiday to Spain wasn’t covered by her travel insurance.

Experience is everything and there are certain things in life you have to go through in order to come out the other side knowing more about them and, crucially, what you would do differently.

Linda speaks to fellow presenters from across BBC Radio Ulster and Foyle about what they wish they’d been taught before big life events like buying a house, taking out a pension or writing a will.

Financial advisor, Alice Gavin, and Simon Murray of the Law Society are on hand for some expert analysis and advice.