Appointment of Agents for Social Welfare Payments

If you are in receipt of a social welfare payment and are unable to collect and/or manage your payment an agent can be appointed. They type of agent arrangement depends on whether or not the arrangement is temporary and/or whether or not you have capacity to manage your financial affairs.

• Temporary Agent ArrangementPerson Nominates An Agent To Collect  PaymentPerson Unable To Manage Their Own Financial Affairs
• Appointment of Agent in Other Cases

• Temporary Agent Arrangement

The claimant (person receiving the payment) has the capacity to manger their financial affairs but wishes to have another person collect their payment for a short period. A temporary agent can be appointed for a short period of time, usually no longer than three weeks, where a person is unable to collect their payment at a post office. The ‘Temporary Agent’ form, which is only available at the post office, should be completed by the customer. When the payment is collected by the agent he or she must give the customer the full amount. The agent does not have the authority to spend the money on the claimant’s behalf. 

• Person Nominates an Agent to Collect  Payment

The claimant (person receiving the payment) has the capacity to manger their financial affairs but wishes to have another person collect their payment for a period longer than the three weeks. In this situation, the claimant must complete ‘Form AG1’ and send it to the relevant section of the Department. A notification is then sent to the customer and arrangements are made with the post office to facilitate the agent collecting the payment. When the payment is collected by the agent he or she must give the customer the full amount. The agent does not have the authority to spend the money on the claimant’s behalf.  

• Persons Unable To Manage Their Disability Allowance

Where a customer is unable to manage their own financial affairs an agent may be appointed to collect the payment and act on behalf of the claimant.  In this situation a ‘Form AG2’ must be completed and sent to the relevant section of the Department.  A medical practitioner must certify that the customer is unable for the time being to manage his or her own financial affairs.  The person appointed agent must be over the age of 18 years and be one of the following:

• a spouse; a parent, a legal guardian, or other relative ; a person who has been appointed to be a care representative of the customer;
• a person, other than the medical practitioner who signed the form, who appears to the Department to have a good and sufficient interest in the welfare of the customer

Where the customer is resident in a care centre for a continuous period of four weeks or more, and where no other suitable person is available and willing to be appointed, a representative of the care centre may be appointed to act as agent. 

• Appointment of Agent in Other Cases

 Ward of Court or Power of Attorney

In the case of a ward of court or a person appointed under an enduring power of attorney, the Department will make payments directly to the Committee of the Ward or to the Attorney by nominating the Committee or the Attorney as agent for the social welfare customer. All such payments will be made electronically to a nominated bank account. 

Health Service Executive

Where the customer is resident in a care centre under the management of the Health Service Executive (HSE) for a continuous period of four weeks or more and wishes to have a representative of the care centre appointed to act as their agent, the customer or their representative should contact the manager of the care centre to put the arrangement in place.

Further Information on Agents

Form AG1

Form AG 2

Department of Social Protection

Longford Office Government Buildings

Ballinalee Road

Co. Longford

Tel: (043) 3340000

www.welfare.ie