In order for the benefits office to assess your claim for Housing &/or Council Tax Benefit you must supply various supporting documentation with your claim. You must provide details to support both yourself and your partner. For the purpose of Housing Benefit legislation, 'partner' is a person you are married to, a civil partner or person you live with as if you are married to them, or as if you are civil partners.

Download a pdf pamphlet with helpful information about claiming Housing & Council Tax Benefit.

Original Documents

At all times, original documents must be forwarded to this office. Once verified, they will be returned to you. Photocopies of documents cannot be accepted unless verified by an officer authorised to check documents to support benefit claims.

Documents can be supplied with your claim form or within one month of submitting your claim - if you do not have all of the documentation at hand, do not delay submitting your application - to the Benefits Office by:

• post: to the Benefits Office. All documents are returned by second class post within 2 working days of receipt. Note: if documents are posted in by recorded delivery, they will be returned by recorded delivery.
• in person: at the Benefits Office enquiry counter. Documents can be handed directly to a member of staff who will verify the documents & return them to you immediately.
• in person: Kinson Neighbourhood Shop. A benefits advisor is present 9am to 1pm Tuesdays at the shop and an appointment system is operated. Please call 01202 451584 or 451597 between 8.30am & 4.45pm to enquire about an appointment.
• visit: if you are unable to visit the enquiry counter or neighbourhood shop because you are elderly, sick or disabled, a visiting officer will be able to visit you to view & verify documentation. Please call 01202 451597 or 451521 to make an appointment.

Detailed below is information about the minimum requirements for the benefit office to see documents which will enable us to be able to calculate your entitlement to housing benefit. Dependng upon your individual circumstances, there may be other information that you will be asked to provide.

National Insurance Numbers

We need proof of both you and your partners National Insurance Numbers before we can deal with your claim. Your national insurance number is made up of a series of letters and numbers. The number is issued to you by the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP). You can usually find this number on documents such as:

• Pension books
• P45 (given to you when you leave a job)
• P60 (annual tax statement)
• Wage slips/salary slips
• National Insurance Card
• Benefit payment books

If you are unable to find any information to confirm your national insurance number, please contact this office for further advice.

REMEMBER: All documents must be originals, photocopies will not be accepted.

Identification

It is necessary to confirm you and your partners identity. Usually, two of the documents from the list below will be enough to satisfy this. Occasionally, we may ask you to provide further information or evidence of your identification.

Acceptable proofs of identity Birth Certificate (full or short versions)

If you have come from a different country

There are particular rules that apply to certain groups of people coming in to this country. You will need to provide your immigration papers:

• if you have come to the common travel area
• have been granted refugee status
• have been granted 'exceptional leave to remain'
• are seeking asylum
• have been granted asylum
  

The benefit office will need to determine whether or not you are entitled to claim housing benefit.

REMEMBER: All documents must be originals, photocopies will not be accepted.

Evidence of your income

Earnings

If you, your partner or any non-dependant (this is someone living with you who is not your partner, a dependant child, joint tenant or your landlord) are in paid work we need to see proof of earnings. This also applies to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). We will need to see:

• if paid weekly - the last five payslips
• if paid fortnightly - the last three payslips
• if paid monthly or four weekly - the last two payslips

OR

• an earnings certificate completed by your employer.
  Please telephone Revenue & Benefits Services if you need one of these forms or visit the benefits counter. Download an 'Earnings Certificate' PDF.

Please note: we cannot accept hand written payslips - you will need to ask for an earnings certificate, which must be signed by your employer & stamped with your employers official stamp.

If you, your partner or the non-dependant have only just started work and do not have payslips yet - do not delay making your claim. Post or bring your claim to us straight away and let us have the correct number of payslips as soon as you have them.

Income other than earnings

We need to see proof of ALL other income you, your partner or non-dependant receive apart from what you earn. The evidence required is shown below:

Order books, recent award letters or bank statements are needed for the following income. You can take your Order Books to the Town Hall or Kinson Neighbourhood Shop if you do not wish to send them through the post.

Bank statements, payment slips, company letters or statements for the following:

Self-Employed

If you, your partner or non-dependant are self-employed we need to see what you earn from self-employment.

If you have been trading for less than a year we need to see a summary of your trading records up until now that shows all your business income and expenses

Or

contact the Benefits Office for a self-employed earnings certificate that you can fill in or you can download a Self-Employed Earnings Certificate pdf.

If you have been trading for more than a year we need to see your completed accounts for your last financial year.

Savings and Capital

We need to see proof of any savings and capital that you or your partner have as follows:

• Bank Accounts (including current accounts which are overdrawn): full bank statements - NOT balance slips - for the last 2 months
• Building Society accounts: up to date pass books or statements
• Post Office Accounts: up to date savings books or statements
• Income Bonds/Premium Bonds: the bonds or certificates
• National Savings Certificates: certificates
• Stocks, shares or unit trusts, PEPS, ISA, Tessas etc: certificates, dividend statements.

REMEMBER: All documents must be originals, photocopies will not be accepted.

Tenancy and Rent

For private and Housing Association tenants only.

We need to see proof of your tenancy and proof that you have paid your rent. Please provide either:

• your original, signed tenancy documents plus rent books or receipts
• an official letter from your landlord, landlady or their official agent plus rent book or receipts
• a 'Certificate of Rent', fully completed and signed by your landlord, landlady or their official agent. Download a 'Certificate of Rent' pdf.

These MUST include:

• your landlord's and any agent's name and full address and your relationship to the landlord
• the date the agreement started, the amount payable and how often you pay i.e. weekly, lunar monthly, calendar monthly etc.
• details of any services included i.e. heating, lighting, meals etc which are inclusive in the rent.

REMEMBER: All documents must be originals, photocopies will not be accepted.

Please Note:  When sending in documents or letters please ensure that your name, address and reference number (if known) are clearly written in black ink.

If your accommodation does not have a secure post box, it is recommeded that you make a personal visit to the Benefits Enquiry counter with any valuable documents, so that they can be returned to you immediately.