Client Representative guidelines

To access social security benefits, clients need to interact with Social Security Scotland in a number of ways.

They need to complete a series of key tasks including:

• making the application
• completing the declaration
• receiving and understanding notifications about the outcome
• exercising their redetermination and appeal rights
• receiving the money
• reporting changes in their circumstances

However, we know there are groups of clients who would benefit from help to carry out these tasks, or by having someone carry them out on their behalf. This could be because of their disability, age or other difficult or sensitive circumstances, but also simply because they may find the system complex or daunting.

Purpose of the Client representative guidelines

The guidelines have been prepared by the Scottish Government for Social Security Scotland staff. They promote consistency of approach across the devolved social security system and signpost to other internal guidance that may be linked.

They describe:

• the main actors within the social security system that provide support to clients of Social Security Scotland; and
• their roles, responsibilities
• the processes that need to be followed to enable them to deal with Social Security Scotland
• how Social Security Scotland should respond where clients appear to be at risk

Part 5 of the guidelines sets out the different situations where Social Security Scotland itself may appoint another person or organisation to act for a client, and the policies and processes it will follow.