Hampton & RoweFamilies often spot the issue first.
An adult child, partner, sibling or trusted friend may notice that somebody’s pension looks low, see a letter they do not understand, or help them use an online service. That support can be extremely useful.
A ten-minute family checklist
- full name and any previous names;
- date of birth and National Insurance number if known;
- current address and important past addresses during caring years;
- rough Child Benefit / Family Allowance dates;
- children’s names and dates of birth;
- who was the main carer and whose name the Child Benefit was in;
- marriage, bereavement or divorce dates if relevant;
- State Pension award letters, forecasts or recent correspondence.
What you can help with
You can help gather information, sit with your family member while they read or complete information, write down questions and keep copies of correspondence.
What formal authority means
Helping informally is different from being authorised to act. We need the appropriate authority before we can act for a customer or discuss protected personal information with somebody else. In some situations, an existing Lasting Power of Attorney or other legal authority may also be relevant.
If they do not use the internet
Paper and telephone routes can still matter. Paper packs can be provided where electronic signing is not suitable, and the government also offers offline routes for a number of pension and National Insurance services.
Do not share passwords.
Even when helping a family member, keep GOV.UK sign-in details and security codes private. A helper can sit alongside the person without taking over their government account.