steve_h
Welfare Rights Caseworker, Advocacy in Wirral, Birkenhead, Wirral
Member since 06th Mar 2006
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Authorisation to act on behalf of DWP customers
Fri 12-Mar-10 07:58 AM |
I have just received the following request from Job Centre Plus.
" I understand that you/ your organisation regularly act on behalf of DWP customers as their 'representative'.
I am writing to let you know that from 1 April 2010, the consent/autorisations form which a representative completes must include a form of words which allows DWP to disclose customer information to you.
An example of acceptable wording would be
I..................... of...............
NINO.............
DOB..................
Have asked.....(Name of rep/organisation) To represent me in connection with my claim with DWP. I authorise DWP to supply the above representative with information about my claim.
Ant requests for information not in this format or similar from 1 April 2010 will have to be returned to you and we will not be able to accept you as a representative until a suitableform of authority is received. I hope by providing you with advance notice that thiswill enable you to manage the transition and continue to help our customers."
I have 2 questions,
1. By what legal authority do they have to make this demand. ie Statute, regulation etc
2. We send an authority every time we correspond with them, and most of the time they do not enter the authority on their computer system, so when we phone, they have no record, and we have to fax a copy to them (And they still lose that sometimes)
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