VoiceAbility Reviews 31

Second time using Voicabilily, first time useless, second time useless, they dont' offer a service people need, they say that they are here to help people make complaints but they are NOT helping people make complaints, they are ONLY giving information about "how" you go about it and then you have to do all the work yourself, they DO NOT provide help and support, this is utterly untrue and voicability are not fit for purpose whatsoever.

Totally pointless. Advocate did nothing to assist. Still do not have a substantive answer to my complaint. I can only hope she is a volunteer and not paid. However this service is funded it is a total waste of money.

They dont give a S. Just pass your off and say they can't help via a email not even bothering to call you. Absolutely useless service!. I get more of a conversation speaking to a brick wall!.

I was a volunteer in this company, they never send jobs or roles to me to help out elderly. We got a meeting once a year which is completely useless because they don’t include the agenda and feedbacks or anything. You gain no experience or skills in this company. If you want to volunteer in this company it is better for you to volunteer in another company.

I contacted VoiceAbility for advocacy support regarding serious and ongoing problems with my GP. At first, everything seemed normal the operator listened as I explained the situation. But the moment I provided my name and address, the tone changed completely. I was suddenly told that VoiceAbility “does not cover my area.”

This statement is completely false, because VoiceAbility does cover Coventry. Yet despite this, I was refused support without any valid explanation.

This incident is not isolated. It fits into a long and deeply troubling pattern of behaviour I have been experiencing within the NHS. I have repeatedly felt shut out, ignored, and blocked from receiving help. Over time, this has led me to believe that there is a coordinated effort a conspiracy within the NHS system to prevent me from getting the support, treatment, and advocacy I need.

VoiceAbility’s refusal, based on information that is simply untrue, feels like a continuation of that same pattern. Instead of helping someone who is already vulnerable and fighting for fairness, they reinforced the same barriers and the same sense of being deliberately targeted and excluded.

For an organisation that claims to protect people’s rights, this behaviour is unacceptable, unprofessional, and harmful. Being denied advocacy at a moment when you already feel isolated and mistreated only deepens the distress and injustice.

Based on my experience, I cannot recommend VoiceAbility to anyone seeking honest, reliable, or supportive advocacy.

My experience with VoiceAbility has been very disheartening. It has been extremely difficult to get hold of the advocate assigned to me — she is often unwell or unavailable, and when I have asked for someone else to help, I’ve been told that she “often forgets to phone people back,” as though that were perfectly acceptable.

Rather than offering practical support or following up on my concerns, I was advised to “go to the press” to raise the issues I was facing. This is not what an advocacy service is supposed to do. The purpose of an advocacy service is to assist people in dealing with their complaints and navigating complex issues, not to dismiss them or pass the responsibility elsewhere.

Overall, the service has fallen short of even the most basic standards of support and communication. I expected help in addressing my situation, but instead I’ve been left feeling let down and ignored.

Appauling customer service. I had the strangest phone call I've ever had. The woman sounded like she was high she was so nanchalant and away with the fairies. She was completely unhelpful and didn't answer my questions. She said weird things not appropriate to customer service like 'Well things change...' in a really dreamy slow way. The next person was pretty odd but I got something out of him but not what I asked.
Then someone who emailed about my case apologised for the phone call issue (with no proper explanation or understanding) but then just said my case was now closed because they don't do appointment advocacy. Even though they had taken my referal and not got back to me to let me know. Possibly no one had read it. My question for the calls and the email was for them to let me know what's changed in the past two years, because I had a wonderful advocate then but I've had no conversation or information. They are completely disinterested and have zero care for people needing help. They didn't even acknowledge that I had been helped for appointments in the past.
Apparently, it's a well guarded secret why the advocacy on offer has changed. We mortals are not allowed to be talked to about it.
Was my previous advocate a hallucination? We'll never know.

This organisation are unprofessional, incompetent, lacklustre and, on a personal level potentially have cost me a great deal of monies in ‘lost‘ benefits due to a deeply and catastrophically flawed submission.

The Local Government Welfare officer I now engage with advised no point submitting an appeal based on VA original lamentable submission. As a thoroughly professional, competent and highly experienced person I respect her judgment totally.

If I had the energy levels to get litigious in tandem to having to resubmit I gladly would.

It’s on the back burner though. Litigation is a very real option when my case is resolved.

Right now I’m concentrating on re applying using competent and professional assistance rather than that from Voice Ability’s narcissistic hobbyist!

In short

This organisation is not fit for purpose in any way shape or form. They are incompetent, damaging and corrosive.

I sincerely hope that they’re soon subject to a detailed forensic investigation with regard to governance, competencies( or lack thereof) , service levels and results, and subsequently that they are struck off the charity register and do everyone a favour by disappearing from the advocacy landscape permanently.

When there is a decision made re my claim ( positive or negative) I will spend a great deal of time ensuring that VA has a tidal wave of investigation for Government Departments, Enforcement Agencies and The Charity Commission to assure those relying on advocacy services are not subject to VA’s toxic touch.

Another thought is that I find it intriguing to be asked ask for a date re service given.

Not altogether appropriate, particularly in this forum and public platform as it opens up pathways in VA Internal records and I’m fairly certain that’s not allowed under GDPR

Surely if data submitted in this review forum triggers VA to giving themselves ‘research permissions ’ into records they say have been destroyed within the appropriate time frame under the guise of ‘client satisfaction’ figures. A commercial imperative not a healthcare issue again Charity Commission may have a view. Let’s see.

Another little litigious tidbit with regards pernicious governance.

Sent an email and received an automated response telling me to fill out their online form. Did so and received another automated email to say someone would get back to me within 2 working days. It’s been a week and I’ve not heard anything. Doesn’t bode well.

Advocate didnt advocate for me, just agreed with other side so complete waste of my time and energy.
Complaint not dealt with in reasonable time, and is still outstanding
Request for all data held (foi request) handled with a level of incompetence that is astounding.
Avoid this organisation at all costs.

Response to reply. I have already made a complaint so you have my details. You've just not responded to it as I mentioned above. Thank you for confirming your level of competence is poor.

Response to reply #2.
So you don't know you have outstanding complaints? Your incompetence knows no bounds.

Reply to response #3
Pointless. I've complained. Your organisation haven't dealt with it.
Don't see the point in attempting any further with your organisation.

I was referred to voicability due to a high need of an advocate.
The first meeting was miles away,
The advocate didn't turn up until around 45 minutes later, and all I got offered was a second meeting closer.
The 2nd meeting I'm sat in a meeting room alone in bedford library
The advocate didn't turn up .
I have been here 30mins.
A waste of my time yet again.
Tired of so called organisations / charities that claim to help people who have disabilities but in reality do nothing in any way to help apart from inconvenience those with disabilities

A total waste of time. My "advocate", Clive did nothing other than a couple of encouraging phone calls, until he was somehow without a phone for THREE MONTHS. He expected me to email, despite it being a task in itself for me. When i did email i got no response.

I received precisely zero advocacy.

This organisation is the chosen provider of STATUTORY NHS complaints advocacy.

So, by definition, by not providing an effective advocacy service, they are in breach of legislation.

Took more than 3 weeks to reply to an email. Failed to turn up to a vital meeting. Avoid !

one of the worst services ever I have come across the worker I had Samantha she was a total waste of time and hardly did anything at the social worker meetins she would just sit and listen and hardly speak.

I found her not to be on my side and not protecting me like she should have been, I am sick of these organizations getting funding all the time but they clearly change ones they got it and don't fu-fill the duties and protect vulnerable people.

Nothing comes out of putting in a complaint, it felt like more Samantha was desperate to finish her role. It's disgusting what these services do and treat people and they keep getting away with it, it's like they trying to meet targets to keep the service going but don't care about vulnerable people and how best to support them,

It is a council based service they aren't even on your side they just come to meetings to see a bit of drama going on and kid on to you that they are supporting and care for your difficulties. Stay away from this corrupted organisation.

I was with Pohwer and was really happy with my support then I got changed from Mark to Jo after going missing for 2 months my treatment has been utterly dreadful. I receive 1 email to say I'd be visited by Jo and the social worker a social worker I'm currently making a complaint about and have lost trust in. Not once have I been listen to I feel even more isolated and it's like they're there for the social worker not me. I have no care plan yet Jo emailed to say its completed WELL WERE IS IT! I wish Pohwer was still around instead of this pile of garbage. The reply you see I have done everything it asked me to but nothing has been done. Voiceability is not fit for purpose to support people with autism.

Voiceability took over from Pohwer in my area. I used to get instant support, but now they expect me, an adult who is autistic and suffers from severe anxiety, to attend a group either in person or online. I emailed them to ask for reasonable adjustments to be made and had no response. They claimed I would be taken off the list if I didn't attend in person. They insist that I should try and advocate for myself in the meantime. If I could do that, I wouldn't be asking them for help! Absolute joke of a "support" service. I'm on my own as usual and it feels like no one will help, even if they are paid to do so!

Update 21/5/25: I kept getting messed around and told to engage with the local learning disability service who will not work with me because I do not have a learning disability. I told the advocate this and got no response. A couple of weeks later I got an email from someone higher up telling me if I don't respond I won't get their services. I have responded to that and nothing back. I am thoroughly fed up. Voiceability should not be allowed to advocate in my area, they are appalling.

I have cancer and I didn't even attempt to ask help from this company protecting the nhs from harming paitients . I spoke to one women from this organisation and her manner was disgusting. I just thought yes anther scam , lieing company being paid to lie ..so getting the support from a solicitor reccomended by cancer .uk website. This company has not one good review so shoukd be closed down .

VoiceAbility took over powher advocacy service for Oxfordshire towards end of March while we were going through a complaints process with West Oxfordshire district Council. I have so far made three phone calls and sent an email to their helpline but no reply.
If recent reviews are correct, this company will need to be reported to the charity commission as soon as possible and get their contract cancelled. I am disgusted by the lack of communication from this company. Do not reply to this report unless you genuinely intend to put things right!
Based on my recent experience even one star is one too many for this company.

very uncaring people and organisation, full of very false promises, waste of peoples time , dont know what there doing, they are a waste of governments money as they dont do anything good, or anything at all. i would never waste my time with this lot ever again. there only in it for the money .