Relay UK app as part of commitments?

R200

I’m suddenly in a position where I need to accept commitments for UC. Nothing has changed my end I thought I was on light touch but somehow things have changed somewhere.

as part of commitments it says I have to accept relay UK and download the app and let it see everything on my phone and have access to all contacts 

I am not prepared to do this under the new data protection act. Does this mean I can’t accept all my commitments and won’t get UC?

huckster

Edit. Relay is for deaf or speech impaired, so they can contact DWP by instant messaging.

 If you are worried, raise a security concern with the Job Centre manager.

tomtom256

It's not something they can sanction you for so shouldn't be on your commitments.
Presumably you are deaf/hard of hearing?

R200

Thank you yes I am but I don’t want to use relay 

peteuk

I am going to assume that the Relay app is the way the DWP communicate with Deaf/deaf claimants. Which may mean they do not have other means.  
So depending on how you you manage but if your struggling to communicate then downloading the app is a sensible request.  I say request it is in my opinion that they are ok in suggesting its use or advising that is the app they use.  However if you complain about communication and continue to refuse to use the app then I would equally say they are within their rights to not agree. 

I equally understand your concerns about the app, is there any way you can switch it on/off.  Just because the app accesses your contacts it doesnt mean it share it with the DWP. 

tomtom256

The app itself is nothing to do with UC and as per my first response, it shouldn't be on any commitments.
DWP have a legal responsibility to put reasonable adjustments in place such as a BSL interpretor etc and they cannot force anybody to only use one means of communication.

Spoonie_Turtle

tomtom256 said:

The app itself is nothing to do with UC and as per my first response, it shouldn't be on any commitments.
DWP have a legal responsibility to put reasonable adjustments in place such as a BSL interpretor etc and they cannot force anybody to only use one means of communication.

Only a small minority of DHH people use sign language (oralism has a lot to answer for) and Relay UK is one possible reasonable adjustment for using the phone.
However people ought still to be able to use their textphone, or any other preferred method of contact - but of course when it comes to reasonable adjustments, it's always the people/institution with the power over the person requesting the adjustments who decide what's 'reasonable', not the person with the unmet access needs.

I am confused though, R200 did they not discuss the commitments before putting them into the system for you to accept?

tomtom256

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Only a small minority of DHH people use sign language (oralism has a lot to answer for) and Relay UK is one possible reasonable adjustment for using the phone.
However people ought still to be able to use their textphone, or any other preferred method of contact - but of course when it comes to reasonable adjustments, it's always the people/institution with the power over the person requesting the adjustments who decide what's 'reasonable', not the person with the unmet access needs.

I am confused though, R200 did they not discuss the commitments before putting them into the system for you to accept?

Sorry, it was just an example that came to mind, the DWP should really have asked whats the best way to communicate with you, during the commitments. It wasn't a you can only use x or z scenario.