Documents required to support your benefits claim

Evidence of identity - We need to see 2 pieces of evidence for each person

Examples of acceptable evidence: birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport, National Insurance number card, medical care, drivers licence, UK residence permit, EEA identity card or recent gas or electricity bill.

Evidence of National Insurance number

Examples of acceptable evidence: National Insurance Number card, payslips or letters from Jobcentre Plus office, Her Majesty’s Revenues and Customs, Department for Works and Pensions or Pension Centre.

Evidence of capital, savings and investments

Examples of acceptable evidence: all your bank, building society or post office books, full bank statements or certificates for premium bonds, National Savings Certificates, ISAs, stocks, shares and unit trusts. 

We need to see evidence of any interest or dividends you get on investments and savings and it must show details for at least the last 2 full months.

Evidence of earnings

This means your last 5 payslips if you are paid every week, your last 3 payslips if you are paid every 2 weeks, or your last 2 payslips if you are paid every month. If you do not have any payslips, you can ask your employer to fill in a Certificate of Earnings form - request this from our office or download it from our benefit forms page.

If you or your partner are Self-Employed, we need you to complete a Self-Employed Earnings information form for the last financial year. If you have been trading for less than a year, we will require the form to be completed for the whole period that you have been trading to date - request this from our office or download it from our benefit forms page.

Evidence of other income

Examples of acceptable evidence: pension slips from a former employer, a letter from the Court if you are in receipt of maintenance. We need to see evidence of any money people pay you for board and lodgings.

Students

Provide evidence of your Student Finance from the loan company. This should include Student Grant/Student Loan/Student Bursary which includes a full breakdown of all the elements e.g. maintenance loan, tuition fee loan, special support grant, parents learning allowance, childcare grant etc.

Evidence of benefits, allowances or pensions

Examples of acceptable evidence: current award notices or letters from your Jobcentre Plus Office, Her Majesty’s Revenues and Customs, Department for Works and Pensions office or Pension Centre confirming how much you receive.