LCWRA, special rules and UC

None of my patients are being awarded LCWRA despite having special rules PIP claims in payment and ringing up to get it added has been a mixed bag to say the least.  I’ve been told several times that consent on the journal is not adequate.  I’ve also been told that I cannot ring without the claimants password and security questions (???).  If consent is accepted I am told that they need to confirm over the phone with the claimant despite me explaining that the reason I am ringing is to spare unnecessary distress to the claimant and all I am asking is for them to check the PIP records.  I’m pulling my lockdown hair out. 

I’ll escalate this via the stakeholder forum Ash - is it a particular service centre you’re dealing with?

This is the reply I have had -

Can UC access the DS1500 that has already been sent in to PIP? 
If a DS1500 has been provided to DWP, that should be used across all benefits i.e. a separate DS1500 is not required for each benefit claimed and processes are in place for that.

Can UC accept a call asking that you check the PIP records without consent being on the file (given that no information is being given out and the sensitivity of the situation)?
UC operates on the basis of obtaining explicit consent from claimants to discuss their UC claims. This can be given in the most appropriate way for the claimant e.g. journal entry, phone etc. and can be withdrawn by the claimant at any point.  If a third party is phoning to discuss a UC claim,  consent would still be needed even if it is just about checking PIP records because the call is about their UC claim.

I emailed back to say that the second answer seemed very unhelpful as we are not asking for disclosure of info, just asking them to check their own records - this is what they said -

I’m thinking that some-one ringing in asking DWP to check its records would require some sort of consent to prevent unauthorised access and/or disclosure.

There should be no reason, for example to ring PIP and ask them to send the DS1500 over as internal processes should ensure that happens. If this is not the case, then let me have specific details for further investigation.

As you rightly say, given the sensitive circumstances in these type of claims, we all want to make the process as simple as possible.

So they’re saying internal processes means UC should be able to see the DS1500 and they ask for examples where it’s gone wrong! So if you want to direct message me any examples (Nino and brief details should be sufficient) then I will take it back to them.