Guidance on how to complete an Attendance Allowance form remotely

ContentsIntroduction...........................................................................................................................................1

The online AA form................................................................................................................................1

IT requirements.....................................................................................................................................2

Preparing the meeting with your client.................................................................................................3

Completing the form over the phone....................................................................................................3

Completing the form using video-conferencing (ZOOM).......................................................................4

Following the meeting with your client...............................................................................................14

Appendix 1 – AA appointment Letter: telephone................................................................................15

Appendix 2 – AA appointment letter: ZOOM.......................................................................................16

Appendix 3 – AA client questionnaire..................................................................................................18

Appendix 4 - ZOOM Issues log.............................................................................................................23

IntroductionWith COVID-19 meaning that we will not be able to offer I&A home visits this guidance details an alternative approach to providing support with Attendance Allowance (AA) claim completion using either a telephone call (or calls) or online video conferencing and screen sharing.

This guidance has been compiled from shared experience across the network and work undertaken by the Development Adviser team at Age UK (national). Thank you to all the advisers who have given their time to share their experiences and methods.

The online AA formThroughout this guidance we have made the assumption that you will be using the PDF version of the AA application form which is available on-line. Obviously some of you may be using your existing stock of paper forms.

We would recommend that you familiarise yourself with the PDF version of the AA application form. Here’s a link to the form:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/814733/aa1-attendance-allowance-interactive-claim-form.pdf

You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to be able to type on to the form and save a copy on your computer. Before using the form with a client please test with the computer that you will be using that you can:

type in the boxes on the form you can save the form on your computer you can print a copy of the form

Here’s the DWP’s information about using the form:

Help using this PDF claim formYou can save data typed into this PDF claim form if you use Adobe Reader.This means that you do not have to fill the form in one session.This form will only save if:• the form is saved onto your computer, and• opened in a recent version of Adobe ReaderThe form will not save in:• versions of Acrobat Reader older than version XI• other PDF readers, for example Preview on a Mac or Foxit on a PC

You can download Adobe Reader free of charge from the Adobe website.If you are having technical difficulties:• downloading the form• navigating around the form, or• printing the formPlease contact the DWP Online helpdesk.Phone: 0800 169 0154Email: dwponline.helpdesk@dwp.gsi.gov.ukOpening hoursMonday to Friday: 8am - 6pmClosed on weekends and all Public and Bank Holidays.For help and advice on the information you need to put on the form orabout the benefit you want to claim, contact the office that deals with thebenefit.Calls to 0800 numbers are free from landlines or mobiles.

When using the PDF form remember that you will need to save a copy of it to your computer.

IT requirements You will require:

A laptop, personal computer (PC) or tablet PC to complete the form on. A printer to print the form off or an agreed process in your local Age UK for having

the forms printed. If this involves sending the forms electronically to a colleague please ensure that this is done securely.

A telephony headset. Ideally this would connect to both your phone and your PC as it can be useful to also have access to a headset when video-conferencing in case there are issues with your webcam’s microphone.

Ideally a webcam to enable video-conferencing. NB there maybe one built into your laptop, PC or tablet PC.

Preparing the meeting with your clientIf your Age UK is not a DWP Alternative Office you will probably want to ask your client to ring the Disability Benefit Centre to request that an AA form is sent out to them so as to register the date of claim. If you do not do this then the date of claim will be the date the form is received by the DWP rather than the date it was requested. Later in this guidance it explains what to do with this paper form.

Having arranged the appointment with your client you should send them a letter to confirm the appointment and to ask them to prepare for the appointment. For example there is information that they will need to gather ahead of appointment and they may want to think about how their disability or health conditions impact on their care needs. And for a ZOOM video-conference you will want to confirm a telephone number to ring the client on with the meeting login details. In the appendices of this guidance you will find appointment letters for telephone and ZOOM appointments and an additional questionnaire that you may want to issue to the client.

You may also want to consider if your client is going to struggle with a remote appointment because of their health issue or communication difficulties they may have. You may want to agree with the client a means of involving a representative to support them with the appointment. Given the current lock-down/social distancing restrictions this may be a family carer who is visiting regularly to offer support or care. This may also be an opportunity to use video-conferencing rather than the telephone, if the family member is familiar with and able to provide the necessary equipment. Undertaking the appointment via video-conferencing provides a much improved experience for the client and the adviser.

Completing the form over the phoneTaking breaks

The key issue to consider when completing the form over the phone is whether your client is able to maintain their concentration or is tiring. At the start of the call let them know that they can have a break at any time that they are struggling and you can easily arrange another appointment if they are feeling tired.

It may be also worth thinking about the likelihood of client becoming tired during the call when you arrange the appointment. So if it is likely to be a longer application or the client’s health conditions suggest that they will struggle with the process you might want to suggest arranging two shorter appointments with them.

Working face-to-face with a client makes it easier to judge if they are tiring but when you are supporting them on the phone you should ask your client regularly if they are happy to proceed with the claim and be ready to have a break or arrange a further appointment with them if they are struggling. Also be mindful that with the client not being able to see you completing the form, the conversation will be more staccato and thus tiring with lengthy pauses while you write the answers to questions.

Confirming answers

When you work face-to-face or screen-share, when video-conferencing, your client, if they are able to, can read the answers you are putting on the form. Obviously this is not possible one a phone call. It is therefore advisable to read through each answer as they are completed to confirm the claimant is satisfied with the accuracy of the statements before moving on to the next question. This keeps the caller engaged and it also saves you the time of having to read through the form at the end of the interview.

Completing the form using video-conferencing (ZOOM)We have identified a solution that can be used on a desk top PC/Mac, a laptop, a tablet or a mobile phone. Unfortunately at the moment there isn’t a solution that works on all of these and on dedicated video conferencing devices such as Facebooks Portal or Amazon’s Echo Show.

The solution we’ve identified is a piece of software called ZOOM and we think it is the best compromise between ease of use for the client, flexibility for the adviser, the range of devices it works on and end-to-end encryption for security. You may have a different app/provider that you would like to use. While the guidance below is specific to ZOOM it will hopefully be of assistance if you prefer to use an alternative.

We’ve done some limited testing of ZOOM but given the urgency of the current situation we thought it better to get this guidance out to local Age UKs so please let us know how you and your clients get on with the software. We’d be particularly keen to know of any tips you could share or if you have problems (and especially if you came up with a solution to the issue). You’ll see at the end of the document that we’ve started an ‘Issues log’ of things we identified in testing and we’ll update and reissue this guidance over time as other’s feedback to us.

This guidance is specifically focused on the completion of AA forms but please let us know if you identify other forms or I&A interventions that you’ve found it helpful for. Unfortunately it won’t work for any online application processes where the client would login and you would support them by sharing control of their computer (as you might have experienced when you get support with an IT problem). The data protection/consent issues are too much of a minefield. Instead the software allows the client to view what is happening on your screen. So they will be able to watch you complete the PDF version of the AA application form while you speak to them. It may also work for some Blue Badge applications if you can download the form from a local authority’s website.

We’re now going to talk you through the process of using ZOOM to complete an AA application with your client.

Introduction to ZOOM

Recommended setup

We recommend that advisers install ZOOM on their PC/Mac or laptop as it will be far easier for you to complete the tasks involved this way. You could potentially use a tablet but you would probably need to attach a mouse and keyboard to it. Ideally you should also use a webcam, NB there maybe one built into your laptop. If you’ve not got access to a webcam then you will need to connect a headset to your PC that includes earphones and microphone. This could be a dedicated telephony headset or you may well find that if you have a headset designed for online video gaming that this will work as well. The application definitely works better with a webcam than a headset as it makes the interaction much more like a face-to-face conversation and takes away a lot of the awkwardness of using an IT solution.

If you are downloading ZOOM onto your PC/Mac or laptop you will find the software here:

https://zoom.us/

Once downloaded and installed you will need to set up and register an account. Doing so will enable you to start an online session/conversation. NB your client will not need to register – they just need to install the ZOOM app.

The ZOOM Cloud Meetings app is available on itunes for Apple iPhones and iPads, google play for Android phones and tablets (NB the vast majority of non-Apple phones and tablets use the Android operation system and infrastructure) and the amazon app store for Amazon Fire tablets. The icon on the various stores looks like this:

Once you have registered you might want to check some things in the settings to make sure that you are happy with them. In particular we would recommend that you switch off the functionality that records a video during screen sharing. It is very likely that such activity is not covered by your existing consent statements/privacy statement and therefore could cause GDPR issues if you were to record the conversation. On the screen shot below you can see how to access the ‘settings’ menu (click the cog icon in the top right of the screen) and how to switch off ‘Record video during screen sharing’ (select ‘Recording’ from the left had menu on the Settings panel and then un-tick the relevant box).

You may also want to move the Zoom thumbnail icon to the desktop of your computer to make it easier to find.

How to conduct the meeting with your client

The following guidance includes images taken of a ‘mocked-up’ ZOOM meeting. For the client’s device images in this guidance we’ve included two sets of images, one from a Samsung Galaxy smartphone using the Android operation system and the other from a laptop with the Zoom app installed, to give you an idea of how the clients screen may look on different devices. They also might look slightly different on other phones/tablets /operating systems.

Step 1

Open up your browser and visit the page for the editable Attendance Allowance form at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/814733/aa1-attendance-allowance-interactive-claim-form.pdf

Step 2

Login into ZOOM and select the ‘New Meeting’ icon:

Adviser’s Screen

Step 3

From the new meeting screen you will need to identify two pieces of information required for your client to join the meeting. These can both be found by clicking on the profile icon (an i in a circle) in the top left corner of the screen. The icon appears when you move your mouse. You will need the ‘Meeting ID’ number and the ‘Password’, as highlighted in the image below.

Adviser’s Screen

Step 4

Contact your client and give them the ‘Meeting ID’ number and the ‘password’. You should also tell them, that once in the meeting, to be able to hear and speak to you they will probably need to click on “Call via Device Audio”. ”. On an laptop or PC the client will need to click on the expand arrow next to the microphone icon in the bottom left of the screen to access he audio controls. You might also what to let them have your telephone number in case they have any issues with accessing ZOOM. Your client would then open the app and firstly select ‘Join’ or ‘Join a Meeting’, as seen below.

Client’s Screen (Android Phone)

Client’s screen (laptop/PC)

The client then enters the ‘meeting ID’ number and ‘password’ into their device and selects/presses ‘Join Meeting’, as seen below. NB there is no password option in this screenshot as we were accessing a meeting setup using the same user login on both devices.

If the client wished to use a separate headset or didn’t want to use the video conferencing facility (ie so you wouldn’t see their face) they can select these from this screen:

Client’s Screen (Android Phone)

Once the client has inputted the meeting invite information into their device you will need to ‘Admit’ them to the meeting by selecting ‘Participants’ from the options that appear at the bottom of your screen. Move the mouse if you cannot see the options at the bottom of the screen. Then admit your client to the meeting from the participants list as seen in the image below.

Adviser’s Screen

This next image shows what the screen will look like when your client initially joins the meeting. The main screen shows the adviser and the client’s image is in the small window above (which is partially obscured in the image below). To be able to hear and speak to you they will probably need to click on “Call via Device Audio”. On an laptop or PC the client will need to click on the expand arrow next to the microphone icon in the bottom left of the screen to access he audio controls.

Client’s Screen (laptop/PC)

Step 5

Once your client has joined the meeting you’ll want to share your screen with them by clicking on the ‘Share Screen’ button at the bottom centre of the meeting screen. Move the mouse if you cannot see the options at the bottom of the screen. After clicking on ‘Share Screen’ you will be given a number of options as to what to share. Select the option for your web browser (if you’ve opened the AA form as suggest earlier in the guidance you should be able to see this in the options offered) and click on ‘share’ in the bottom right of the panel.

Adviser’s Screen

The next image show’s what your/the adviser’s screen will look like once you have begun screen sharing. NB the images on the right-hand-side of the screen will show your client’s and your face if you both have video capabilities on your devices/computers:

Adviser’s Screen

….and the client’s screen would look something like one of these images below. NB the phone screen can be turned to view in landscape and you can ‘pinch’ to zoom in on the

image, making it a bit easier to follow on a phone. As you can see it is preferable for the client to be using a tablet or laptop/PC, which has a larger screen as the text will be easier to read and they will be able to see the adviser’s face.

Client’s Screen (Android Phone)

Client’s screen (laptop/PC)

Step 6

You can now conduct the interview with your client and complete the online application form while your client watches you do this. Much as you would with the paper form in their home….just without the constant supply of tea and biscuits. Remember at the start of the meeting to get verbal consent from your client for the storing of their data and for their file to be included in your IAQP assessment. At the end of the interview explain to the client that you will be sending them a copy of the form in the post and that they need to sign it and then post it to the address at the end of the form. You might also want to draw their attention to the list of supporting documents that they may want to submit with the claim as detailed in the answer to question 52, towards the end of the form.

Step 7

Once you’ve completed your interview with the client to end the meeting click on ‘End Meeting’ in the bottom right corner of the screen. If you are still sharing your screen with your client you may need to firstly click on ‘Stop Share’ at the top centre of the screen.

Following the meeting with your clientOnce the meeting is finished save a copy of the form onto your PC. You should then also save a copy of the form onto your CRM database record for the intervention. Print out a copy of the form and send it to your client for them to read through, sign and send onto the DWP. You may want to include a covering note reminding them to (as applicable):

Sign their signature at Question 18 - Consent to contact their doctor Add their bank details at Question 48 - How we pay you

Have a family member/friend/carer complete Question 49 - Statement from someone who knows you well. Please note this is not essential if this will be difficult to arrange or will significantly delay the claim

Sign their signature at Question 51 - Declaration Make sure they include the documents that they’ve agreed to send as listed in the

response to Question 52 – Documents to be sent with the form. It is recommended that the client sends photocopies rather than the original documents and that they write their name and national insurance number of the top of each document/page.

If on reading the form, they need to amend or correct any of the information on the form, to do so in pen and put their initials and the date next to any changes they make.

If your client also has a paper form with an initial date of contact on it which can be used to evidence an earlier date of claim you could include the following in your covering note:

“When you send the form back use the envelope you got with the paper form and also include the paper form (so that they know you expect them to honour the date of claim on the paper form - I've mentioned this at question 50).”

Question 50 – Extra Information – here is some suggested text for the adviser to include regarding the date-of-claim:

I have been supported to complete this application form by name of adviser from enter name of local Age UK/Age Cymru (adviser’s email address). Because of the current 'social distancing' rules adviser’s first name was unable to visit me at home to support me with my claim. The form has therefore been completed by a (delete as applicable) video-call/telephone appointment and adviser’s first name completed the online version of form and sent it to me to check over and sign. I am returning the form adviser’s first name helped me to complete with the paper form, I received in the post, to ensure that my original date of contact is used as my date of claim.

NB once you have printed the document, if you have a saved a copy to your CRM database, you should delete the version on your computer and then empty your Recycle Bin.

Appendix 1 – AA appointment Letter: telephoneDear…(insert client’s title and Surname)

A telephone appointment to complete your Attendance Allowance form has been arranged for you on …(enter date) at your home with …(enter adviser’s name).

If this appointment is not convenient for you and you would like to rearrange it please contact …(enter name of staff member) on …(enter telephone number).

Dependent on the nature of your health conditions which may make the call difficult to manage it is sometimes helpful to ask other people who know you well family,

friend, carer, to support you during the call if you wish. If you would like to we can talk about this at the beginning of our call.

Preparing for the appointment

So that we can complete your form as fully and accurately as possible with you, it would helpful if you could have the following information ready:

Your national insurance number.

Your GP’s name, address and telephone number.

The name address and telephone number of any health professional or doctor you regularly see (eg hospital consultant, physiotherapist, specialist nurse).

Any letters that you have from health professionals about your health condition(s).

A list of all of the medication that you are on, including the dosage and how often you have to take them. Your most recent prescription should have this information on it.

Yours sincerely (signature) (enter name and title)

Appendix 2 – AA appointment letter: ZOOMDear…(insert client’s title and Surname)

An appointment to complete your Attendance Allowance form has been arranged for you on …(enter date) at …(enter time) with …(enter adviser’s name). The appointment will take about 2 hours to complete.

We will be undertaking this appointment by video conference. Before the appointment you will need to install the ZOOM app on your tablet, smart phone or computer.

Installing ZOOM

The ZOOM Cloud Meetings app is available on itunes for Apple iPhones and iPads, google play for Android phones and tablets (NB the vast majority of none Apple phones and tablets use the Android operation system and infrastructure) and the amazon app store for Amazon Fire tablets. The icon on the various stores looks like this:

Once you have installed the app on your tablet or phone you do not need to register an account with ZOOM for us to be able to have the appointment.

If you have a home computer or laptop and either, ideally, a webcam or a pair of headphones with a microphone you could also install ZOOM onto your computer by visiting this web address: https://zoom.us/

Preparing for the appointment

(delete the following if you have already arranged this) Please text or ring (enter your name) on (enter your work phone number) once you have received this letter/email (delete as applicable) with a telephone contact number that I will ring you on at the start of the appointment to give you some login details required to join the ZOOM conversation.

So that we can complete your application as fully and accurately as possible, it would be helpful if you could have the following information ready for the appointment:

Your national insurance number.

Your GP’s name, address and telephone number.

The name address and telephone number of any health professional or doctor you regularly see (eg hospital consultant, physiotherapist, specialist nurse).

Any letters that you have from health professionals about your health condition(s).

A list of all of the medication that you are on, including the dosage and how often you have to take them. Your most recent prescription should have this information on it.

The appointment

At the start of the appointment, as mentioned above, I will ring you and give you a Meeting ID number and a password, which you will need to join me in the ZOOM conversation. Please have a pen and paper ready to write these down.

Open Zoom on your device or computer and enter the Meeting ID number and password. We will then be able to have a conversation while you watch me complete your Attendance Allowance application form on my computer.

After the appointment I will print out the form and send it to you so that you can sing it and send it off to the Department for Work & Pensions.

Yours sincerely

(signature)

(enter name and title)

Appendix 3 – AA client questionnaireText that can be added to the appointment letter if you also intended to send then the client questionnaire to complete prior to the appointment:

*** We have also enclosed a questionnaire that covers the main questions of the form. If you are able to make any notes on that form and have this to hand during the call it will help the adviser who will be covering these in detail with you as they complete a copy of the form to return to you***

And here is the questionnaire:

Questions to Support your Attendance Allowance Telephone Appointment:

Please complete this form to the best of your ability as the adviser who telephones you will be covering these with you and please jot down any questions that you may have as the adviser should be able to assist you with those during the call.

1. What your health conditions or disabilities are, andApproximately when each of these started

Medicines or treatments including dosage/frequency What is the dosage and how often do you take each of the medicines or receive treatment?

2. Do you have any reports about your illnesses or disabilities? Yes ☐ No ☐

• Have you had any tests for your illnesses or disabilities?• Date and type of tests• Results

• Are you on a waiting list for surgery? Yes ☐ No ☐• The date you were put on the waiting list………………………………..• What surgery are you going to have?...............................................................................................• When is the surgery planned for, if you know this?..........................................

• What type of accommodation do you live in?...................................................................................• Where is there a toilet in your home?...............................................................................................• Where do you sleep in your home?...................................................................................................

3. Aids and adaptations • How do they help you?• What difficulty do you have using this aid or adaptation?• Highlight those that have been prescribed by a health care professional and ensure this is noted

before issuing

Please Note When your care needs started ……………………………………………………………………………………

4. Do you usually have difficulty or do you need help getting out of bed in the morning or getting into bed at night? Eg. Encouragement, physical help Yes ☐ No ☐

5. Do you usually have difficulty or do you need help with your toilet needs? Yes ☐ No ☐

Eg. Getting to or using toilet or incontinence products, cleaning yourself

6. Do you usually have difficulty or do you need help with washing, bathing, showering or looking after your appearance? Yes ☐ No ☐ Eg washing and drying myself or looking after my personal hygiene, using a shower, looking after my appearance or getting in and out of the bath

7. Do you usually have difficulty or do you need help with dressing or undressing? Yes ☐ No ☐

Ie choosing appropriate clothes, putting on/fastening clothes, taking off clothes. Also applies to footwear.

8. Do you usually have difficulty or do you need help with moving around indoors? Yes ☐ No ☐

By indoors we mean anywhere inside, not just the place where you live. Eg.

Getting in or out of a chair Transferring to and from a wheelchair, Walking around indoorsGoing up or down stairs

9. Do you fall or stumble because of your illnesses or disabilities? Yes ☐ No ☐• What happens when you fall or stumble? • Tell us below why you fall or stumble and if you hurt yourself.• How often do you fall or stumble?• Tell us roughly how many times you have fallen or stumbled in the last month or year.

Do you need help to get up after a fall?

10. Do you usually have difficulty or do you need help with:• cutting up food, Yes ☐ No ☐• eating or drinking? This means things like getting food or drink into your mouth or identifying

food on your plate. Yes ☐ No ☐

11. Do you usually have difficulty or do you need help with taking your medicines or with your medical treatment? Yes ☐ No ☐

This means things like injections, an inhaler, eye drops, physiotherapy, oxygen therapy, speech therapy, monitoring treatment, coping with side effects, and help from mental-health services. It includes handling medicine and understanding which medicines to take, how much to take and when to take them.

12. Do you usually need help from another person to communicate with other people? For example, you may have a mental-health problem, learning disability, sight, hearing or speech difficulty and need help to communicate.

• concentrating or remembering things Yes ☐ No ☐• understanding people I do not know well Yes ☐ No ☐• being understood by people who do not know me well Yes ☐ No ☐• reading letters, filling in forms, replying to mail Yes ☐ No ☐• asking for help when I need it Yes ☐ No ☐• answering or using the phone Yes ☐ No ☐

13. How many days a week do you have difficulty or need help with the care needs you have told us about?.......................................

Do you usually need help from another person to actively take part in hobbies, interests, social or religious activities?

14. Do you usually need someone to keep an eye on you? Yes ☐ No ☐For example, you may have a mental-health problem, learning disability, sight, hearing or speech difficulty and need supervision.• I am at risk of neglecting myself. Yes ☐ No ☐• I am at risk of harming myself. Yes ☐ No ☐• To prevent danger to myself or others. Yes ☐ No ☐• I am not aware of common dangers. Yes ☐ No ☐• To discourage antisocial or aggressive behaviour. Yes ☐ No ☐• I may have fits, dizzy spells or blackouts. Yes ☐ No ☐• I may wander. Yes ☐ No ☐• I may get confused. Yes ☐ No ☐• I may hear voices or experience thoughts that disrupt my thinking. Yes ☐ No ☐

15. How long can you be safely left for at a time?.........................................................................................

16. How many days a week do you need someone to keep an eye on you?.................................................

17. Do you usually have difficulty or need help during the night? Yes ☐ No ☐

This means things like • settling, getting into position to sleep, Yes ☐ No ☐• being propped up or getting yourself comfortable, Yes ☐ No ☐• getting to the toilet or using a bedpan or bottle, Yes ☐ No ☐• dealing with any incontinence issues, Yes ☐ No ☐• getting to and taking the tablets or medicines prescribed for you and having any treatment or

therapy. Yes ☐ No ☐

18. How many nights a week do you have difficulty or need help with your care needs?..............................................................................................................................................

19. Do you usually need someone to watch over you? Yes ☐ No ☐For example, you may have a mental-health problem, learning disability, sight, hearing or speech difficulty and need another person to be awake to watch over you.

20. How many times a night does another person need to be awake to watch over you?

21. How long on average does another person need to be awake to watch over you at night?

Please consider the following:

• I am at risk of harming myself. Yes ☐ No ☐• I may wander. Yes ☐ No ☐• To prevent danger to myself or others. Yes ☐ No ☐• I am not aware of common dangers. Yes ☐ No ☐• I may get confused. Yes ☐ No ☐• I may hear voices or experience thoughts that disrupt my thinking. Yes ☐ No ☐To discourage antisocial or aggressive behaviour. Yes ☐ No ☐

• How many nights a week do you need someone to watch over you?.....................................................

• Is there any other help you require or difficulty you have which we have not covered already?

Appendix 4 - ZOOM Issues log Below is a list of issues identified by advisers when using this software and the ‘work-arounds’ or solutions identified.

If you can’t hear your client it maybe because they have the microphone of their device disabled for apps. This is most common on mobile phones. The solution to this probably requires them to access the device’s privacy or security settings and enable the ZOOM app to have access to the microphone.

When using the AA pdf document be mindful that with some printers they might not print all of the text in a text box if you have exceeded the size of the initial box. If this happens you can either copy and paste the missing text onto a separate word document with a reference to the question it is an expansion of and include a printout of this with the form or enter the extra text into Question 50 ‘Extra Information’ on the AA pdf.

If you are using ZOOM without a paid subscription you can hold a one-to-one meeting without any interruption, but if you wish/need to have more people involved (eg a family member or other client representative) in the meeting then your meeting will be limited to 40 minutes. You will need to create a new meeting when the first one ‘times-out’ and send the new joining details to the other meeting participants. So it probably makes sense to arrange how you will do this before starting the meeting.

To report an issue (and hopefully the solution you found) email mark.tomlinson@ageuk.org.uk