Background information
The enabling legislation is The Social Security (Claims and Payments and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003, which amended The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987.
Any personal information collected in connection with a claim for benefit belongs to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and should be forwarded to DWP as soon as practicably possible. Unauthorised disclosure of personal information collected for social security purposes is a criminal offence. Any request for access to that information or any complaint about the way in which a customer’s personal data has been processed should be referred to DWP.
For statistical and monitoring purposes, DWP requests the Alternative Office to keep a record of its contact with the customer, and to collect anonymised information about any signposting to other benefits and services. This is forwarded to The Pension Service Local Service for collation and to enable evaluation of the added value customer service that Alternative Offices can provide.
This information has been produced by the Department for Work and Pensions in collaboration with the Local Government Association and other government departments (August 2004).