No, EE my 80 year old mil doesn’t have photo ID

[Comefromaway]

They took her driving licence off her because of her dementia. She hasn’t been abroad for 30 years. No, she can’t speak to you on the phone to authorise her account because as we just explained she’s in a care home with severe dementia. She doesn’t even remember our names most of the time.

Yes of course we can bring a copy of the Lasting Power of Attorney but we can’t bring photo ID. No, she doesn’t have a military or police or ID card.

This is all so we can transfer the two mobile phone contracts for which they are paying £35 per month for way too few minutes and far too much data into father in laws name without him having to change his number.

And by the way, signing off with I hope she gets better soon is a tad upsetting to read as we already explained, she’s got dementia and no one gets better from dementia.

I don't know why a PP is aghast that a company needed to see the death certificate (or have a copy). That's probably the only bit that's fair enough! I mean, suppose someone with a grudge wanted to make life really difficult for them and went around closing their accounts etc? You really want your creditors to take as much care as possible to ensure they're speaking to the right people. Within reason, obviously; many of the tales above are completely outside reason!

(I was feeling smug earlier about all the other telecom providers being rubbish, and then mine got mentioned too. Ah well - I suppose any company can be rubbish if you get served by the wrong person, but some seem to make a policy of it.)

@EileenGC

Oh that’s annoying. I don’t think they even listen to what customers tell them.

On the other hand, if everyone in the UK had an ID card, this would not be an issue...

How are you going to issue ID cards to people with dementia who have no existing ID?

@gah2teenagers

I dealt with all my deceased parents affairs inc selling a house, car and care homes fees, utilities etc and by far the most difficult was phone companies. I resorted to many conversations which included the words “well good luck with that as he’s dead”, and told Vodafone they could try and track him down for two old £10 contracts on phone(s ?) he hadn’t used for 4 years when he was in a care home with advanced dementia and they didn’t have my address. They put debt collectors on him. I called them up and they were apologetic to be fair. Greedy bastard phone companies. Have to give it to Lloyds and First Direct and also gov agencies. Brilliant.

My best "good luck with that" when my Dad died was the Court. He had received a summons for a very minor non-endorsable motoring offence. The Court wanted me to send them an original death cert. (although I had several certified "original" copies they were in short supply). I decided not to bother and to let them try to arrest my late Dad. I imagine the Police didn't waste any time on it since the Police found my father dead and returned some of his stuff to me.

Proper financial services companies have policies in place to accept non-photo ID to prevent the elderly and vulnerable from becoming disenfranchised.
You can offer forms of ID which you do have, such as letters from DWP/state pensions, hospital appointment letters (medical info redacted), care home invoice, birth/marriage certificate.
If they don’t accept these, point out that their policies are age and disability discriminatory and tell them they need to refer it to their compliance department. Register a complaint. The next step, complain to ombudsman. Put all this in writing.
They do have people with the authority to solve problems instead of blindly following process, but they’re not to be found on the call centre floor.

@WeatherwaxOn

One telecomms co wanted to speak to my uncle, who had just died, to change the account to his wife's name. They didn't understand why we got upset and angry and kept saying that the bill payer had to make the request.

So, I can completely sympathise.
Check what is legally required (POA and your ID should be sufficient). Tell them in writing what you are legally required to provide (with a link to the information if necessary).
If that doesn't work, Twitter with tags usually works quite well, as can involving your local MP.

What the hell?? I’d have asked them if they wanted to speak to an urn/headstone and see how they got on. Honestly, these people at the call centres are like robots.

Out council. Reistering the birth of my baby who was born living but before the age of viability.

Sent from pillar to post and nobody answering the phone "because covid". You can't register a baby without the red book, which I didn't have because he was dead.
But he wasn't stillborn so I didn't have any death paper work because it had to go to the coroner.

I emailed, explained the situation and was given an appointment and told I didn't need to bring my baby with me. That's good, because he's in the mortuary in the children's hospital. But to make sure to bring the red book, and definitely come alone, because covid. Face palm.

Emailed back and forth a few times, was told I'd be seen separately and out of hours. I wasn't, ended up in a (socially distanced) queue with families front and back, both parents and newborns.

@BloodyHellAudrey

Out council. Reistering the birth of my baby who was born living but before the age of viability.

Sent from pillar to post and nobody answering the phone "because covid". You can't register a baby without the red book, which I didn't have because he was dead.
But he wasn't stillborn so I didn't have any death paper work because it had to go to the coroner.

I emailed, explained the situation and was given an appointment and told I didn't need to bring my baby with me. That's good, because he's in the mortuary in the children's hospital. But to make sure to bring the red book, and definitely come alone, because covid. Face palm.

Emailed back and forth a few times, was told I'd be seen separately and out of hours. I wasn't, ended up in a (socially distanced) queue with families front and back, both parents and newborns.

Christ on a bike that's insensitive

Oh Audrey, I’m so so sorry that happened to you. Words fail.

Audrey, I am so, so, sorry. What a terrible and insensitive way to be treated. If you feel up to it, then this is most definitely worth reporting, www.gov.uk/complain-about-your-council