Proof of identity and income
To support your claim for housing and/or council tax benefit you are required to provide proof of you and your partner’s identity, income and savings.
You must only provide original documents - we will not accept photocopies.
We cannot award any benefit if you do not supply all of this information.
Proof of identity and national insurance number
You must provide proof of your national insurance
number and your partner’s national insurance number. If
you are claiming as a couple but one of you has not got a national
insurance number because your immigration status does not allow you
to work, you may be able get a national insurance number from Job
Centre Plus which allows you to claim state benefits but not to
work.
Please send a least two items of proof for each person. At least one item of proof must be from the following:
-
original birth certificate
-
passport
-
driving licence
Other examples of proof include:
-
gas/electric or water bill
-
NHS medical card
-
benefit entitlement
See section 15 of the housing benefit and council tax benefit claim form for a full list of acceptable proof.
Proof of income
If you or your partner are employed you must provide:
-
five wage slips in a row if paid weekly or
-
three wage slips in a row if paid every 2 weeks or
-
two wage slips in a row if paid monthly
If you or your partner are self-employed, you must provide your accounts for the last financial year or a trading summary if you have only recently started trading.
If you are receiving any state benefits, we will need to see a notification letter (an original not a copy).
Proof of savings and investments
We will need to see evidence of all your bank, building
society and post office accounts, certificates for premium bonds,
National Savings Certificates, ISAs, stocks and shares, and unit
trusts. You must provide details for at least the
last two months.
Proof of rent
This can be one of the following:
-
rent account
-
tenancy agreement
-
rent book
-
a letter from your landlord