UC Claimant Commitment and Appointees

Hi David,
I believe Barney was asking if there is a box somewhere on the online form where he can enter his own details as appointee. If there is, it would be nice to know where to find it. If not, then where should we put this critical piece of information ?

Hi David,
I have contacted the CAB as you suggested.
The answer is for the person with the Power of Attorney or an approved Appointee Letter from the DWP to complete the application on behalf of the claimant but inputting only the claimant’s details and information.
Then once the claimants account is setup and the UC claim submitted, send a message to the DWP using the claimants Journal. The message should state that you have a Power of Attorney or are an Appointee for the claimant and as such you have completed the UC application on their behalf. Give your name, address and contact details and request all communication from the DWP to be addressed to yourself.
If you already have a Power of Attorney registered with the DWP or are recognised by the DWP as an Appointee for the claimants existing ESA award, they should be able to pick this fact up from their records. I suggest you request the DWP to confirm in writing to you that they have transferred these records to the UC claim.
If the DWP do not already recognise you as a Power of Attorney or an Appointee, ask them via the Journal how to do this.
I urge Benefits and Work to update your 'Successful ESA to UC Managed Migration Guide' and ‘ESA to UC managed migration FAQs’ with this information to help those members with Power of Attorney or are an Appointee.
Regards, Barney

In your guide to Successful ESA To UC Managed Migration May 2025 Version 5 on pages 41 & 42 you state: 'An appointee cannot agree a claimant commitment on behalf of another person, so if you have an appointee, you will not have a claimant commitment for UC. Therefore, you will have no work-related requirements, whether or not you have the LCWRA element within your UC claim.' You then provide a link to and quote the DWP Advice for Decision Makers paragraph J3271 '“In all appointee cases the need for a claimant to accept a claimant commitment is waived (see further guidance in ADM Chapter J1) and work-related requirements are switched off. There should be no mandatory activities, including mandatory WFI's and no sanction action taken.”

I've clicked on the link and it does not say 'in all appointee cases'. It states: 'For most claimants with an appointee this would indicate they have specifc vulnerabilities,complex needs or they lack the capacity to act for themselves, therefore, in most appointee cases the need for a claimant to accept a claimant commitment is waived (see further guidance in ADM Chapter J1)
and work-related requirements are switched off.

Which is correct, In All Appointee Cases or Most Appointee Cases.

Barney