Certificate of existence

D

DirectDevil

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919
A little bit left field.

My uncle - 66 y.o. - receives an occupational pension.
Pension scheme administrators now seem to write to him every year asking him to sign and return a certificate to confirm that he is still alive.
His signature has be witnessed by someone who is not a relative.

Q1. Is this normal practice ?
Q2. Are there any GDPR implications in this practice ? i.e. having to get a non-relative to sign a document that is none of their business.
 
1. Yes
2. No - All the other person knows is that he is still alive and is receiving a pension.

Do they even need to know that he is receiving a pension? He can probably hide the document so that the person is just witnessing the signature.

Brendan
 
Brendan Burgess said:
2. No - All the other person knows is that he is still alive and is receiving a pension.

Do they even need to know that he is receiving a pension? He can probably hide the document so that the person is just witnessing the signature.
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They could also get a professional - solicitor, Garda, religious official, peace commissioner, bank official etc. - to witness it if they are concerned about privacy.
 
It reminds me of a story - probably apocryphal - that I heard years ago, when I worked in the pensions department of a life assurance company.
Unilever wanted to present an award to their oldest pensioner. They discovered that it was a man who lived in a small village in the heart of Africa.
A delegation went to make the presentation. They eventually got to the village and asked where he lived. They were shown to a beautifully decorated tent, occupying a place of honour in the middle of the village. Inside the tent, on a table, in a jar, was a pickled thumb.
 
I just go to the local post office when I get the form every year and no problem to have it witnessed there.
 
DirectDevil said:
Q2. Are there any GDPR implications in this practice ? i.e. having to get a non-relative to sign a document that is none of their business.
Click to expand...
Further to @Brendan Burgess point above the witness only has to witness the signature being applied to the document. They have no business reading the remainder of the document or establishing its purpose.
 
Anyone who is not related to the pensioner and whose name appears on the register of electors can witness the signature being applied on documents such as this.
 
mathepac said:
Anyone who is not related to the pensioner and whose name appears on the register of electors can witness the signature being applied on documents such as this.
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Who do they need to be on the electoral register?
 
Worked for the ESB in the 80's. One of the tasks was to call to the houses where there was someone claiming the free electricity allowance as a pensioner to check if they were still alive. .Surprising how many weren't
 
DirectDevil said:
Q1. Is this normal practice ?
Q2. Are there any GDPR implications in this practice ? i.e. having to get a non-relative to sign a document that is none of their business.
Click to expand...
Yes, my parent had to get it done every year. The local Garda obliged, the first time the Garda were a bit surprised but that was all. Use the doctor, pharmacists, priest etc. Or pay a commissioner for oaths. The important bit is that they are witnessing that your relative signed and is alive. What it's for isn't relevant.
 
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