Evidence and Information

The complexities of Housing and Council Tax Benefit mean that we must ask you a number of questions to get your benefit correct.

The Government has advised that a scheme called Verification Framework (VF) is adopted by Local Councils.  Part of the scheme sets the standards of evidence required to support your claim for benefit. The idea of the framework is to compliment the Councils current measures to prevent and detect fraud.

The Benefits Section adopted this scheme in November 2003.  This means that from this date only original documents in support of your claim will be accepted.

The Housing and Council Tax Benefit application form outlines the information you need to provide in support of your claim.  In general this is as follows;

Evidence of Identity - such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport, national insurance number card, medical card, driving licence, UK residents permit, EEC identity card or recent gas or electricity bill. We may need to see several of these documents for each person.

Evidence of National Insurance Number - such as national insurance number card, payslips or letters from the Department for Works and Pensions or Inland Revenue.

Evidence of Capital, savings and investments - such as all your bank, building society or post office books, full bank statements, certificates for premium bonds, National Savings Certificates, ISAs, stocks, shares and unit trusts.  We need to see any interest or dividends you get on investments and savings.   We need to see this evidence for any children in your household as well.  The evidence you send must show details for at least the last 2 months.

Evidence of earnings - This means your last 5 payslips if you are paid every week, your last 3 pay slips if you are paid every 2 weeks or your last 2 payslips if you are paid every month.  If you cannot get pay slips we will accept a certificate of earnings completed by your employer. If you or your partner are self-employed you need to complete the self-employed form.

Evidence of other income - Such as pension slips from a former employer or a letter from the court showing how much maintenance you are getting.

Evidence of benefits, allowances or pensions - such as current award notices or letters from the Department for Works and Pensions confirming how much you get. 

Evidence of private rent and tenancy - such as a rent book, rent receipts, a tenancy agreement, confirmation of rent form from your landlord or a letter from your landlord.

Evidence of money paid out - such as letters about student grants or receipts from registered child carers.

Evidence for Second Adult Rebate claim - you will need to provide proof of your non-dependant's income, proof of your National Insurance Number and two forms of identification for yourself.

If you do not have evidence, please let us know straight away. This is because time limits apply and it is important that you contact us if you are unable to meet the time limit you have been given. If you do not meet your time limit, you may lose benefit! However, you can ask us to consider accepting your late information. To do this, you must complete the late proof form or write a letter explaining why the information was not provided on time.

If you are not sure if we need to see evidence of something please get in touch with us and we will tell you what we need to see. We cannot pay you benefit until we have seen the evidence we have asked you for.

Please do not send order books, bank books or any valubale documents through the post