Intermediaries / Representatives - Tax Credits Only (AG)


 

To deal with the authorisation of an intermediary or representative, consider steps 1 – 14 below. The guide is presented as follows

Initial actionStep 1
Request for informationSteps 2 - 4
Written request to become an intermediarySteps 5 - 7
Faxed TC689 receivedSteps 8 - 14


click here to return to top   Initial action

1What is the type of request you have received from an intermediary, representative, or Voluntary and Community Sector (V CS)
  • A written request for information, go to step 2
  • A written request to become an intermediary, go to step 5
  • A form TC689 that has not been faxed, go to step 5
     
  • A form TC689 that has been faxed, go to step 8

Note: This form will only be received in urgent cases from a V CS organisation


click here to return to top   Request for information

2When a request for information is received, use Function VIEW APPLICATION to see whether a claim has been received
  • If a claim has been received, go to step 3
  • If a claim has not been received, keep the letter in a clerical BF for 14 days, checking each day to see whether a claim has been received
  • If a claim is received, go to step 3
3Check if authority has already been recorded on the computer. To do this
  • For pre award claims, use Function CAPTURE APPLICATION and go to the Summary Information screen to check the Application Notes field
  • For post award claims, use Function VIEW HOUSEHOLD NOTES and check the View Note Details screen
  • If authority has been recorded
  • Stamp the letter ‘Authority to act’
     
  • File the form TC689, if received
     
  • Send the written correspondence to the relevant area, such as Change of Circs or Disputed Overpayments
     
  • Take no further action
  • If no authority has been recorded, go to step 4
4If no authority has been recorded
  • Issue form TC689 and form TC848 to the claimant

Note: If it is a one off enquiry, do not issue form TC689 or form 64-8. Go to step 6 and enter household note JI15

  • Stamp ‘No authority to act’ on the letter and redirect it to the relevant area. They will check Application or Household Notes for any updated authority
     
  • Take no further action


click here to return to top   Written request to become an intermediary

5If a
  • Form TC689 has been received and is complete, that is all the boxes are completed, go to step 6
  • Form TC689 has been received which is incomplete, go to step 7

Note: The signature must be original and not a photocopy

  • Written letter of consent has been received and is complete that is the letter has all the information that is required on form TC689, accept it as authority, go to step 6
  • Written letter of consent has been received which is incomplete, go to step 7
     

    Note: The signature must be original and not a photocopy
     

  • Faxed form TC689 has been received, go to step 8
6Note: Do not enter a note on a rejected claim. We cannot action these. We can only enter an authority note for a pre-award or awarded claim. Advise the intermediary or claimant of this

If the claim is
  • Pre award, use Function CAPTURE APPLICATION and go to the Summary Information screen to enter the following in the Application Notes field, where applicable
     
  • Post award, use Function MAINTAIN HOUSEHOLD NOTES to enter the following, where applicable
  •  ‘ JI01 – INTERMEDIARY. Letter dated + re intermediary +, tel + authorised to act until +. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI02 – Correspondence (date and from +) redirected to + (team and initials) IDT’
     
  • ‘ JI06 - INTERMEDIARY - Letter dated (DD/MM/YY) from (Intermediary Name) NO authority given as TC689 not completed. Letter sent to (claimant and/or partner name) requesting completion of TC689. Corre redirected to (team) (Initials) IDT’
     
  • ‘ JI07 – INTERMEDIARY - TC689 dated + re intermediary +, tel + authorised to act until +. Acknowledged. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI08 – INTERMEDIARY. TC689 dated + re intermediary +. Tel + authorised to act on behalf of + until +. Acknowledged. IDT/(enter initials) "Do not divulge info about +"’
     
  • ‘ JI09 - NOTE - + ARE NOT ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT AS STATED IN THEIR LETTER DATED + AND SIGNED BY +. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI10 - TC689 – rang (office) to refax with their OIN. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI11 – INTERMEDIARY. Letter dated + from + insufficient authority. Intermediary + for (app1/app2) ONLY. Letter sent to app1/app2 requesting completion of TC689 – DEAL DIRECT until further notice. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI12 – INTERMEDIARY. Letter dated + from + NO authority given as TC689 not completed. Letter sent to app requesting completion of TC689. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI13 - Faxed mandate received from + without their OIN. “CANNOT ACCEPT FAXED MANDATES”. TC689 issued for authority. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI14 - INTERMEDIARY/AGENT - Letter dated (DD/MM/YY) from (Intermediary Name) No authority given as the signature on the form TC689 is a copy- original signature required. Letter sent / Phone call made requesting the original form and not a copy. Corre redirected to (team) (Initials) IDT’
     
  • ‘ JI15 – INTERMEDIARY. Letter received dated + from + re App. Corre re-directed to + NO authority to act – this is a one off enquiry’

Notes:

You must follow the guidance in How To Correctly Complete Application And Household Notes when you record the note

And also

Follow the guidance in Application Notes, if the claim is pre award

Or

Follow the guidance in Maintain Household Notes, if the claim is post award

Then

Notes:

  1. If the Child Benefit Authority box is completed on form TC689, send a copy of this form to the Child Benefit Office by Taxpost Direct (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  1. If there is a previous note where an intermediary has not been authorised to act on behalf of the claimant, this note will need to be deleted. Follow the guidance in Deletion Of Household Notes
7If
  • The form TC689 is incomplete. Put an 'X' next to the relevant boxes on the form and send this together with form TC848a to the claimant
  • The letter is incomplete. Send a form TC689 together with form TC848b to the claimant

Note: Under no circumstances must any correspondence be sent to the intermediary

Then, if the claim is

  • Pre award, use Function CAPTURE APPLICATION and go to the Summary Information screen to enter the following in Application Notes field
  • Post award, use Function MAINTAIN HOUSEHOLD NOTES to enter the following

‘ JI03 - INTERMEDIARY request received on (DD/MM/YY). TC848 issued to the claimant to request further information (Initials) IDT’

Notes:

You must follow the guidance in How To Correctly Complete Application And Household Notes when you record the note

And also

Follow the guidance in Application Notes, if the claim is pre award

Or

Follow the guidance in Maintain Household Notes, if the claim is post award

  • Take no further action

click here to return to top   Faxed TC689 received

8Where a form TC689 is received by fax, has the Office Identification Number (OIN) been included

Note:Faxed form TC689 requests can only be accepted from the VCS organisations.Only the Information Disclosure Team (IDT) are authorised to deal with these faxes and carry out the verification checks
  • Yes, go to step 9
  • No, go to step 14
9Check that the OIN corresponds with a valid number on the Voluntary Sector Database (VSD)
  • If the OIN matches, go to step 10
  • If the OIN does not match, go to step 14
10Check the computer to establish that the form TC689 contains the correct claimant details and includes both claimants where a 2 person claim is held

Note: If a joint claim is subject to a disputed overpayment and has been ended due to a household breakdown, an intermediary can act for a single claimant in respect of the joint overpayment, as long as there is a signature
  • If the form TC689 includes all the applicable details and is signed by one or both claimants in a 2 person claim, go to step 11
  • If the form TC689 includes all the applicable details, but is not signed by one or both claimants in a 2 person claim, go to step 13
  • If the form TC689 does not include all the applicable details, irrespective of whether it has been signed or not, go to step 13
11Note: Do not enter a note on a rejected claim. We cannot action these. We can only enter an authority note for a pre-award or awarded claim
 

If the claim is

  • Pre award, use Function CAPTURE APPLICATION and go to the Summary Information screen to enter the following in the Application Notes field, where applicable
     
  • Post award, use Function MAINTAIN HOUSEHOLD NOTES to enter the following, where applicable
  • ‘ JI01 – INTERMEDIARY. Letter dated + re intermediary +, tel + authorised to act until +. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI02 – Correspondence (date and from +) redirected to + (team and initials) IDT’
     
  • ‘ JI06 - INTERMEDIARY - Letter dated (DD/MM/YY) from (Intermediary Name) NO authority given as TC689 not completed. Letter sent to (claimant and/or partner name) requesting completion of TC689. Corre redirected to (team) (Initials) IDT’
     
  • ‘ JI07 – INTERMEDIARY - TC689 dated + re intermediary +, tel + authorised to act until +. Acknowledged. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI08 – INTERMEDIARY. TC689 dated + re intermediary +. Tel + authorised to act on behalf of + until +. Acknowledged. IDT/(enter initials) “Do not divulge info about +’
     
  • ‘ JI09 - NOTE - + ARE NOT ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT AS STATED IN THEIR LETTER DATED + AND SIGNED BY +. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI10 - TC689 rang (office) refaxed with OIN. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI11 – INTERMEDIARY. Letter dated + insufficient authority. Intermediary + for (app1/app2) ONLY. Letter sent to app1/app2 requesting completion of TC689 – DEAL DIRECT until further notice. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI12 – INTERMEDIARY. Letter dated + from + NO authority given as TC689 not completed. Letter sent to app requesting completion of TC689. IDT/(enter initials)’
     
  • ‘ JI13 - Faxed mandate received from + without their OIN. "CANNOT ACCEPT FAXED MANDATES". TC689 issued for authority. IDT/(enter initials)’

Notes:

You must follow the guidance in How To Correctly Complete Application And Household Notes when you record the note

And also

Follow the guidance in Application Notes, if the claim is pre award

Or

Follow the guidance in Maintain Household Notes, if the claim is post award

Note: If there is a previous note where an intermediary has not been authorised to act on behalf of the claimant, this note will need to be deleted. Follow the guidance in Deletion Of Household Notes

Then

  • Go to step 12
12

Telephone or fax the appropriate Voluntary Sector Officer (VSO) and inform them that they now have authority to act on behalf of the claimant and / or partner

Note: When telephoning or faxing the VSO officer, you must follow the latest Data Security guidance

  • If the fax number held on the Voluntary Sector Database is different to the fax number provided by the VCS, go to step 14

Otherwise

  • Take no further action

Note: If the Child Benefit Authority box is completed on form TC689, send a copy of this form to the Child Benefit Office by Taxpost Direct

(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Note: If this is urgent, the form can be faxed
13Telephone the VSO and ask them to send the fax again with the correct information on

If the claim is
  • Pre award, use Function CAPTURE APPLICATION and go to the Summary Information screen to enter the following in the Application Notes field
     
  • Post award, use Function MAINTAIN HOUSEHOLD NOTES to enter the following

‘ JI06 – INTERMEDIARY - Letter dated (DD/MM/YY) from (Intermediary Name) NO authority given as TC689 not completed. Letter sent to (claimant and/or partner name) requesting completion of TC689. Corre redirected to (team) (Initials) IDT’

Notes:

You must follow the guidance in How To Correctly Complete Application And Household Notes when you record the note

And also

Follow the guidance in Application Notes, if the claim is pre award

Or

Follow the guidance in Maintain Household Notes, if the claim is post award

  • Take no further action
14If no OIN is supplied or the OIN / V CS fax number does not match the details held on the Voluntary Sector Database
  • Telephone the V CS if the fax details are unclear
  • Complete a fax cover sheet and enter in the appropriate Notes field on the computer one of the following messages, whichever is relevant
  • ‘TCMZ No OIN has been supplied by V CS
    ’
  • ‘TCMZ OIN supplied differs from VSD’

Or

  • ‘TCMZ Fax Number from V CS differs from VSD’

Notes:

You must follow the guidance in How To Correctly Complete Application And Household Notes when you record the note

And also

Follow the guidance in Application Notes, if the claim is pre award

Or

Follow the guidance in Maintain Household Notes, if the claim is post award

  • Send the fax cover sheet with the form TC689 by fax to the External Relations Team (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) so that they can verify the details

Note: The External Relations Team will pick these up immediately and aim to deal with these within 24 hours. However, if the office has not registered for an OIN, they will need to register by post, which will take longer. Once verified they will return the correct information to you so you can continue with your action

Then

  • Set a clerical BF to await a reply from the External Relations Team

When the reply is received

  • Stamp the correspondence ‘Authority to act’ and send it to the relevant area


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