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is it possible to act as agent in contact with UC on behalf of disabled relative ?
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Posts: 489 Scope community team
This discussion was created from comments split from: Universal Credit Information.
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with HMRC ( tax credits) this has been helpful as permission is given for me to phone in on her behalf with questions or change of circumstances. We were reluctant to be " Appointee " which I believe means I take over full legal responsibility- this is not necessary and removes independence . With UC is it possible to act as agent in contact with UC on behalf of disabled relative ? if so how is this organised please ?
Cannot find any detail on DWP web site of what arrangement to support may be possible except nominate appointee. Thank you.
In my experience a lot of bad habits are spread around contact centres and picked up by people who don't understand or haven't read guidance. I have put in 2 customer service complaints against the same person at Blackpool who still outright refuses to let me use explicit consent when I call for my partner, and they still haven't got the memo 😑😆
DWP implied consent policy is that you can call and deal with the department about anyone if you have their permission... and are prepared to answer security questions you would only be able to answer as their representative.
For example a wife calls to discuss her husband's benefit claim, she knows personal info about the claimant and complex info on the claim such as bank account details, amounts paid etc... very little data would be protected by refusing to deal with her regarding the claim because she already has access to the information and it is implied that she would have her husband's consent to speak on his behalf.
One of the great confusions about this is pretty much summed up by the above post, which is incorrect. You get explicit consent for all other benefits only through written authority. In UC you only get explicit consent by the claimajt asserting it on the journal. There is no other route. Explicit consent does not involve security questions.
DWP (and as can be seen above) and claimants get very confused about this. A claimant has to answer security questions. No-one else can. A representative or relative should be asked implied consent questions which are completely different.