Is anybody else out there worried about the direct payments implementation? The feedback I am getting is that the "Exceptions Service" is going to be, well, "exceptional" and most claimants, including pensioners are being swept along into the new system. There are major issues for local authority home helps and supported housing managers (like mine) who may have clients unable to access PIN numbers and such like. However the exceptions option of weekly cheque/giro-type payments creates the spectre of lost cheques etc particularly as the mail delivery system is even less reliable than in previous years.
What's happening out there?!

There has been a recent thread on this issue - have a look here to see it.

An example of the misleading information from DWP about the all or nothing nature of Direct Payments is this quote from their Guide to Pension Credit (PC10S): "Pension Credit is normally paid direct into a bank or building society account but can be paid by order book. You can choose your payment method when you apply, but you should know that we are phasing out order books so that later on all payments will be made direct into an account.We will contact people who are being paid by order book with more information before this happens".

No mention is made of possible alternatives (eg the cheque payment system).

It would be worth someone taking this issue to the Parliamentary Ombudsman because the DWP's line appears to have little legal basis.

Incidentally this particular leaflet (supposedly a technical guide for advisers and others) also has some questionable statements about interim payments, overpayments and the HRT (apparently common sense will be used to decide the latter - how touching!).

The informal feedback I am getting from a number of sources is that decisions on who is an "exception" will be made by DWP staff based on guidance which is not going to be published. The Pensions Service will contact those claimants who have not completed Direct Payment forms and if necessary visit. However it is left to the judgement of the individual officer whether or not the individual should be an "exception" to Direct Payments.