ID Hurdles

FlamingGalar

I cannot be the only person trying to assist an older parent. If someone doesn't have a passport or driving license to get through the usual ID checks and they then provide additional accepted information to a company why oh why does that company ( a financial one) insist on making it so hard every single time they try to engage with them be it by phone or in writing. Couldnt they get round it by sending a code to a mobile or having an agreed password or phrase when calling. or instigate my voice is my password feature etc. Company in questions is Prudential now part of M&G and its a nightmare. Anyone else experienced this?

p00hsticks

Get LPoa set up and registered with the company in question so that you can speak on their behalf ?

Peter999_2

I totally agree with you and you have my sympathy.

I am going through exactly the same thing with my parents, everything takes such a long time as it is very hard to prove their identity online. It's ok for younger people (like me) who easily prove their identity but when you are older and have no driving licence/passport everything takes such a lot longer.

I have had very frank discussions with people about the National Identity cards. I would very much welcome them as it would make it so much easier for me to help them. People's argument tend to be against everyone being on a national database and don't agree when I tell them that ship sailed decades ago. We all have National Insurance and NHS numbers - everyone is already on a database.

flaneurs_lobster

Are you suggesting that if someone has used Government-issued photo ID - rather than (eg) bank statements or tax letters - to establish ID, identifying yourself to an institution would be easier online or by phone?

Not sure it would make any difference.

The better institutions use a method that is already registered with them (eg a mobile number or an app) and send a code to be repeated back thus establishing some level of confidence. Do Prudential/M&G not have something similar?

sheenas

When I work on the ID card many years ago they got scrapped. No sure on the logic, but people didn't want them.

A passport id a fail because it does not have your home address on it. A driving licence is a fail because you need to be fit to drive.

The best bet I guess to to shell out for a passport and a keep paper copies of a bill.

Peter999_2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82055914#Comment_82055914

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. I don't have concerns with instituions where they have already got accounts with, but any new bank accounts/ISA accounts etc. would be so much easier online using a Digital ID. I don't see any reason not to have one. I feel it's similar to having electric/gas smart meters where people just hate them and don't want them but then don't have any valid reasons as to why not.

debitcardmayhem

Not had problems with the oldies, because I am one , however I have no longer have a current passport/driving license. However I have been having problems making a closure/refund request for an insurance product I have had for 35+ years. They want me to jump through hoops to get MY rightful funds back because of this,despite the fact I am still paying in from the same bank account for 35+ years, and want repayment via the same route. They quote all money laundering s-one-t etc and the help desk was just that a desk!

At the moment I am waiting for a response from the CEO, but I feel for anyone who suffers from this,.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6674800/id-hurdles

The Pru bought M&G in 1999. In 2019 the Prudential plc broke itself up into two smaller groups, the Pru plc was the exciting bit focusing on growth markets in Asia and Africa, it also kept Jackson which was their US entity. UK and Europe which was more a cash cow formed the new group, not exciting but steady profits. There was a lot of debate about the name for the new group, initially it was going to be Prudential M&G but ultimately plumped for just M&G

Jackson was subsequently spun out too as another group in 2021. There is a Prudential in the US too but they are unrelated to Pru plc and there is a rather long and complex set of agreements on who an advertise financial services under the Pru branding between them.

The UK insurance entity remains Prudential Assurance Company.

Almost all M&Gs day to day operations are outsourced, certainly on the insurance side it was done more to use their systems than having to buy/build one themselves as their old one was creaking to say the least. I know less about the M&G outsourcing motivations. Obviously one of the issues of outsourcing is you generally lose a lot of control especially when you migrate onto your outsourcers systems. Tata use the same system for multiple clients and so often will resist diverging code bases and so will only introduce something like voice recognition if enough clients are willing to adopt it

JSmithy45AD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82055913#Comment_82055913

I'm not against ID cards myself but you're going to have to jump through the same hoops to get one in the first place (although it should help later). Have you ever signed up to HMRC on line, yikes, I was half expecting someone to knock on the door with a lie detector kit.

Peter999_2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82056844#Comment_82056844

Haha, yes, you are right. I signed them both up to the HMRC and it was pretty difficult.

It was worse when I tried to sign up my daughter so she could view her wages tax etc. She was working for the a small business that was hopeless at paying wages and tax. It was a shame as she really loved the job but getting paid was so difficult. Actually turned out to be a fab learning experience for her - she wouldn't let me help and got it all sorted herself.

The HMRC only offered a couple of identity options of which she had neither. They would accept an irish driving licence but not a UK one. Ridiculous. I tried a few months later and they had added a couple more options and I got her signed up successfully.

Albermarle

Easiest solution is to get a passport.

Just over £100 for 10 years.