Work in progress - ratings and comments are still to be finalised
Experian Support Hub
1.1 Stated purpose
An initiative from the financial sector, where people can state their communication needs, and participating banks and utility companies can commit to respecting them.
1.2 Episodic or relational
2.1 Statutory notification
2.2 Info validated by
Sector
4.1 Personal identifier used
Online portal
Offline alternative
1.3 Data included
Relational
No
Financial services, Utilities
Name, address, address history, DoB
Yes
No
Full name
Address
Date of birth
Lifecycle events
Physical disabilities
Cognitive impairment
Mental health
Strengths
A very clear and straightforward process to register, taking account of a wide range of the most common actionable support needs.
Participating organisations (recipients) have made an active commitment to meeting actionable support needs, giving an added degree of confidence.
Weaknesses
Ideally the Support Hub would offer an alternative (offline) means of sharing one's needs.
It is frustrating that such a well designed platform doesn't have a wider reach
Further information
Overall functional rating
3. Transparency, choice and control
3.1 Transparency
Sets a high benchmark for other platforms. Particularly good in the way it tells you what a company can/can't do to meet the request for reasonable adjustments.
3.2 Choice and control
Full choice and control over what data is provided and where it's sent
4. Functionality
4.2 Structured data
4.3 Free text
Structured data is very thorough, but no opportunity to add clarity/context/detail through free text. Example: "My personal circumstances" needs free text to let someone say what support they need as a result of the major life event.
4.4 Carer role
No explicit provision to nominate a carer/proxy to deal with day-to-day comms on your behalf.
4.5 Acknowledgement of receipt
Response initially received from bank to say they couldn't match my records. Added detail to my record; acknowledgement received saying Support Hub had successfully shared my needs with my bank.
4.6 Updates
System allows for updates
4.7 Access to records
5. Reach
5.1 Multi-sector acceptance
Relies on organisation to sign up. Nothing beyond banks, utilities and retail credit.
5.2 Recipients within orgs/services
Relies on organisation to ensure information is visible to staff who need it. Given that suppliers actively subscribe to the service, and commit to its principles and ethos, there's a degree of likelihood that this will be happening.
5.3 Proactive sharing
No provision
6. Language and user experience
6.1 Language
'Vulnerable' is a loaded word and will act as a barrier for many potential users of the platform
Words to watch
6.2 Conditions vs actionable support
No requirement for diagnoses/conditions to be shared
6.3 Online UX
Online experience seems well designed - straightforward and non-threatening
6.4 Offline UX
Unclear how a digitally excluded user would share their information
7. Outcomes
7.1 Actionable support needs
A good broad range of options available to select, and you don't have to go through any kind of "condition filter" to access them - they focus on what you need, not why you need it. However, if your specific ASNs aren't listed there's no way of sharing them due to lack of free text option.
7.2 Trustworthiness
Giving it a 4 for the clarity about how data will be used - ONLY to provide the support/reasonable adjustments that are requested
Think Local Act Personal: Data for People
Ratings against the 15 Principles
Overall
TLAP 2
TLAP 3
TLAP 4
TLAP 5
TLAP 6
TLAP 7
TLAP 8
TLAP 9
TLAP 10
TLAP 11
TLAP 12
TLAP 14
Money Advice Trust
Ratings against the 10 principles for designing vulnerable consumer data-sharing programmes
Overall
MAT 1
MAT 2
MAT 3
MAT 4
MAT 5
MAT 6
MAT 7
MAT 8
MAT 10-