I know we should not be suprised at the down right stupidity of the DWP - but this is the best one for a while.

Authorised as rep on GL24. overpayment appeal case. DWP Debt Management centre (Bradford branch) refuse to speak to us as they will not accept GL24 as authority to act but require additional / seperate authority from client specifically authorising the debt centre to speak to us. Despite pointing out the DWPs own guidance and its location as a public document of DWP website their 'security manager' will not authorise staff to speak to us about this case (hiding behind some half baked reasoning under the Data Protection Act).

I despair and should go out and kill myself - however, I know it would be a futile gesture.

Any more examples of such refusal to follow internal guidance might brighten my day!

I was trying to chase up a community care grant review the other day, with our helpful Social Fund Centre. They - of course - refused to speak to me because authority was not on the system. I pointed out that I was named as representative on the letter requesting a review. I was told they could not access that information, as the letter would be held in the office dealing with the review, and the information was not held on the system. I had the bright idea of asking whether I could talk to the office dealing with the review. 'They don't take calls'.

So we've got the office who would be able to talk to me not taking calls, and the phone line telling me they can't talk to me, because the office who would be able to talk to me have got the paperwork.

and how many hours did you spend on the phone to get that far?

When I am trying to get information and am refused I say politely as I can "I have the DWP Guide Working with customer representatives in front of me" and I quote bits from it "When can you disclose information" and "implicit consent". It clearly says
" there is a difference between a representative wanting to help speed up a claim or is able to quote from our recent correspondence with the customer and a person seeking to unlawfully obtain a customer's personal information without their knowledge."

At the end of the Guide it says "representatives should contact DWP corporate customer affairs tel: 01482609571" or email roger.pugh@dwp.gov.uk
I have not had to go this far YET.

would you be suprised to hear that we did go as far as quoting the guidance and were still refused? We will be making a complaint - but will it change the practice for the future?

OMG - this is worse than dealing with creditors... I thought nothing could be worse than that - you have proved me wrong... Thank god im a debt adviser rather than a welfare rights adviser....

i've often said the same, only vice versa...just lately i'm beginning to think resistence is futile... we will all be assimilated... : )