Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for how long consent is granted, when the criteria are met, to friends, family members or professionals to access information on a claimant's universal credit claim.

Explicit consent, which can be given by a claimant via their journal, over the phone, or in person when accompanied by their adviser, is not indefinite for representatives. Once explicit consent has been provided by a claimant, it will last until the specific request for information is resolved, or until the end of the Assessment Period after the one in which the consent was given. Alternatively, a claimant can withdraw their consent at any stage.

Explicit consent is time bound because the Department must ensure that it protects the comprehensive data belonging to our claimants effectively and that it ensures it is used only for the purposes intended.

The Department also has a well-established appointeeship arrangement system for claimants who are unable to manage their own affairs.

In our response to the Social Security Advisory Committee in November 2018 in respect of the managed Managed mMigration regulations, we have agreed to explore options for improving the process of explicit consent in collaboration with the committee.