Applying for a Parent: What Families and Power of Attorney Holders Need to Know

A huge number of the applications we handle are started by a son, daughter, spouse or other family member on behalf of someone who finds forms, phone calls or the whole process genuinely difficult — sometimes because of the exact condition they’re claiming for. That’s completely normal, and it’s not something the DWP treats with suspicion.

Do you need Power of Attorney?

Not necessarily. You can support someone through an application — being present on calls, helping fill in forms, gathering evidence — without holding formal Power of Attorney, as long as the person themselves is happy for you to be involved. If you do hold a Lasting Power of Attorney (financial or health and welfare), that gives you a clearer formal footing to act on their behalf, particularly useful if their condition means they can no longer manage this themselves at all.

What we’ll need from you

• Basic details for the person the claim is about — name, date of birth, National Insurance number if available.
• An honest picture of their day-to-day needs — you often know this better than they’d describe it themselves.
• If applicable, confirmation of any Power of Attorney or other formal authority you hold — though this isn’t a barrier to getting started.

Why families choose to get help rather than apply alone

Applying alone is free, and plenty of people do it successfully. But roughly 48% of self-submitted claims are rejected — usually not because the person isn’t entitled, but because the form doesn’t naturally draw out the right detail. For families already stretched thin with caring responsibilities, that’s a lot of time and stress to risk on a form that’s genuinely not designed to be easy.

We only charge a fee if the claim succeeds, it’s capped to a percentage of the first year’s award, and there’s an interest-free payment plan available. If it doesn’t succeed, you owe nothing.