ID interview by FaceTime

Have you thought about an appointee for your relative? When somebody is unable to manage their own claim, this would be a sensible option.

I guess (and it is just a guess!) that it is reasonable of the DWP to want to see your relative to make sure that she is ok and exists! You know how clever real fraudsters are these days - what can be done with AI and all sorts.

Obviously you know she's genuine and the reasons given for not being able to upload documents are genuine - but they don't.

At the moment, to them, she is a name on a computer who possibly hasn't been near a job centre for months or years (again, i am just putting a possibility here as to how DWP might be thinking; please don't take offence)

And - on a plus side - if they do visit, i'm sure it would be ok for you to be with her for support and they will see straight away she's not managing her claim well and then it will be an easy path to become appointee.

I don't think they will impose themselves on her -they will see straight away she is not up to a visit and will be in and out in minutes. Once they see she does exist at that address, they will possibly recommend she needs an appointee to help her.

Good could come out of this.

Well - imagine for one moment what a fraudster would do on a videocall - just use anyone! How does the DWP know for certain that IS the actual claimant if there is no official documentation.

Or - as i mentioned in my first post, they could just generate a real person with AI - these really organised criminals can do all sorts these days.

I can see my first response put your back up a bit so i hope you won't be further offended as i am not for a single second suggesting your situation is not genuine.

I'm just trying to think like the DWP - and i guess (and it is a guess that might be way off the mark) that this could be the reason why.

You do hear of cases where a claimant has passed away years before and someone has continued to receive their benefits.

I do hope another poster on here comes up with a better answer for you but i still think your relative needs an appointee.

I'm sorry - i am confused.

Are you now saying your relative HAS already got an appointee and also a passport?

I have carefully re-read the first post again and you say they couldn't upload their passport, not that they don't have a passport?

In this case - actually whether they have an appointee or not - they can get someone else to help them upload their passport.

If they have an appointee, the appointee can also attend at any job centre with the physical document in place of the claimant. Your relative would not need to attend at all.

If they insist on visiting the house, even where an appointee is in place, they will want to see your relative but this is literally a quick glance. If your relative does not want to speak or be present, they could just show themselves and then go away to another room. The appointee could then answer all questions on their behalf.

If it is the case that your relative has an appointee but tried to upload the passport themselves and failed, the appointee could try popping a note on the journal to say what's happened and could another "to do" be created so that the appointee can upload the passport.

Uploads for other kinds of ID won't be accepted because, with no photo, there's no proof at all that the claimant exists. With the passport, the claimant sends a photo of themselves holding their passport and the photo matches the person holding it up.

But with bank statements, they don't have a photo of the account holder on them so a fraudster could upload someone else's statements - even a photo of the "claimant" holding up a recent statement - well that could be anyone!

So they are going to need the passport or to see the claimant in person with other documents.

I expect if you know of people who have done Facetime - they have already had their ID verified by a prior home visit or visit to the job centre.

I don't know if i am picking up the wrong end of the stick here because it seems obvious to me why a videocall proves nothing but i will tag in @Kimmy87 as she is far more knowledgable than me and might have a different view of your relative's situation.