Evidence Details

Proof of your identity

All persons who are claiming Housing and Council Tax Benefit must provide two items to prove their identity, items accepted by the Council are:

  • A current passport
  • A current driving licence (full or provisional)
  • A birth certificate
  • A recent, and paid, utility bill
  • A bank statement dated within the last 4 weeks.

Proof of your National Insurance Number

We will require this for both you and your partner. Your National Insurance Number can be found on any State Benefit award letter, your payslips, and on your National Insurance Number Card.

If you have children living with you

We will want to see proof of your Child Benefit payments, either your award letter, Child Benefit payment book, or evidence of payments into your bank account.

If you have non dependants living with you

We will need to see proof of their income. If they are on State Benefits we will need to see proof of their award letters or payment books. If they are working we will need to see proof of their earnings – we require a minimum of 5 weeks, 3 fortnightly or 2 monthly consecutive recent payslips, showing their gross wage.

If you are in receipt of Income Support / Jobseekers Allowance (income based) / guaranteed Pension Credit

If you indicate that you are in receipt of these benefits we will check your entitlement with the relevant Government department.

If you and / or your partner are in paid employment

We will need to see proof of your earnings – we require a minimum of 5 weeks, 3 fortnightly or 2 monthly consecutive recent payslips, showing their gross wage, and all deductions. If you are unable to supply this information we have a Certificate of Earnings form that can be completed by your employer, which if proper completed, will provide sufficient evidence of your earnings.

The evidence that you provide must contain the following information

  • The name and address of your employer
  • The number of hours that you have worked and the period covered
  • Your year to date gross income
  • Your income tax details for the period and year
  • Your National Insurance details for the period and year
  • Details about any pension payments you make
  • And the method by which you get paid.

If you are receiving State Benefits other than Income Support / Jobseekers Allowance (income based) / guaranteed Pension Credit

We will need to see proof of your award letters and bank statements showing the receipt of these benefits.

If you are receiving other forms of income

We will need to see evidence of what these incomes are, how much they are, and how often you receive them.

If you have any capital assets

Unless you are in receipt of Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance (income based) or Pension Credit, we will need to see proof of any capital assets that you have (except the home you own). We will need to see two months consecutive recent bank or building society statements, or an update account passbook. We will need to see letters showing the amount of shares you have, and the value of any unit trusts or bonds, and we will need to see evidence of any premium bonds you have.

If you are paying out for child care whilst you are working

We will need to see a letter from the child care providing showing the children cared for, the hours and hourly cost of this care, and the overall amount paid. This letter should also prove that the care provider is registered.

If you are claiming Housing Benefit

Unless you are a Council Tenant we will need to see proof of your right to rent the property that you live at. This proof should contain:

  • The name and address of the landlord
  • The name and address of the landlord’s agent
  • The date the agreement started
  • The amount of rent payable
  • What services are included and what is charged for them
  • The payment frequency of your rent.

Normally all this information can be found on a current tenancy agreement. If you do not have a tenancy agreement or it is out of date we have a proof of rent form that can be completed by your landlord to provide the information we need.

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