If you’re acting on behalf of someone else

If the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) appointed you to act for someone who cannot manage their benefits, you can continue to act for them for their Adult Disability Payment.

DWP will tell Social Security Scotland when the person’s benefit has moved from DWP to Social Security Scotland.

If you’re acting as an appointee, Social Security Scotland will contact you to review your appointment after the person’s benefit has moved.

Find out more about acting on behalf of someone applying for benefits.

Your responsibilities

Keep any money you receive from Social Security Scotland separate from your own money. Make sure nobody else can access it.

You may want to keep records to keep track of payments and spending.

You should always spend the money in ways that benefit the person you’re acting for.

When you make decisions for them, think about their:

• needs
• past and present wishes
• feelings

If you have difficulty communicating with the person you’re acting for because of their disability, contact Social Security Scotland to get extra support from an advocate.

You can call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222. Opening times are Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

Find out what to do if you need help contacting Social Security Scotland, or are calling from abroad.

If you're a British Sign Language user, you can use the Contact Scotland service to contact Social Security Scotland by video call.

Third party representatives

Third party representatives are people who help out with things like:

• filling in forms
• making phone calls
• check progress of an application
• tell Social Security Scotland about a change

This could be an interpreter, nurse or family member.

If you have helped a person with their DLA in the past, Social Security Scotland will not find out about this from DWP.

Instead, the person you are helping will need to contact Social Security Scotland to tell them that:

• you have been helping them
• they want to carry on helping them

Social Security Scotland are not allowed to share some kinds of information with a third party representative, such as:

• bank account details
• details about the person’s condition

You can only act in this role for up to 3 months, unless the person gives permission for you to carry on for longer.