Check the documents we accept as evidence

You must provide evidence of all your and your partners’ capital and savings.

We must see bank statements for each account you/your partner have, even if the account has no money in it. It must include the full transactions for the two months before you claim benefit.

You must provide evidence of any other capital or investments that you and your partner have, such as:

• bonds
• stocks/shares
• national savings certificates
• ISAs
• unit trusts
• premium bonds
• dividends
• other property
• land interest

Earnings

This is for all jobs held by you, your partner and any non-dependants.

If you are paid every: 

• week, we will need to see your last five payslips
• two weeks, we will need to see your last three payslips
• month, we will need to see your last two payslips

If you have just started work, we will accept your contract of employment until your wage slips are available.

Self-employed income

If you are claiming Council Tax Reduction or housing benefit and you or your partner are self employed, we need to see:

• the accounts for the last financial year
• a summary of your trading records so far if you have been trading for less than six months

The accounts should show the total income and a full breakdown of all expenses incurred.

If you don't have accounts yet, you must complete a self-employed form with a projection of earnings for the next three months invoices/receipts as requested.

Other income

This includes all other income not covered above that you/your partner get. This can include private pensions, annuities, income from rent and voluntary payments.

You must provide a payment slip or official letter, which shows how often you receive the income, less any tax deductions.

If you receive spousal maintenance, we will need to see a letter from the court or the payee to show:

• how much you are getting 
• how often you receive the money

We need to know about all income you and your partner get. You need to provide any available evidence of this income.

We should be able to see evidence of other income payments on the bank statements you provide.

Council Tax Reduction or housing benefit claims only

You do not need to provide evidence of income if you or your partner gets: 

• Income Support
• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance 
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance

If you are waiting to hear about a claim for any of these three benefits, you need to: 

• provide evidence of income 
• tell us in writing how you are meeting your daily living expenses

If you want to go on the housing register, you will still need to provide proof of income, even if you are receiving any of these benefits.

This only applies if you are claiming Council Tax Reduction or housing benefit.

Other benefits includes any benefits, state retirement pension or tax credits that you, your partner or non-dependant get.

In most cases, we can usually get information about your other benefits you get from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

If you are waiting for a benefit award from DWP, you need to tell us in writing us how you are meeting your living expenses.

Rent and tenancy

For proof of your tenancy, we can accept:

• tenancy agreement
• landlord letter
• tenancy details form completed by your landlord

This evidence must show:

• the name of the landlord
• the name of the tenants
• when the tenancy started
• the amount of rent you pay
• how often the rent is due
• any referral made, which should include the care, support or supervision you or your partner require

If there are service charges included in your rent (such as water), we will need a full breakdown of these charges.

Both the tenant and the landlord must sign the evidence.

In many cases, we would expect to see evidence that you have been paying your rent, such as from your bank accounts.

People living with you

You must tell us about and the relationship and identities of all those that live in you/your partner’s home. 

For dependants, you need to provide evidence of child benefit for any children that live with you. We will also need to see their birth certificates.

For non-dependants (such as a grown-up child, friend, other relative), you need to provide evidence of their income. You do not have to do this, but it may result in you losing benefit if you don't.

For foster children, we will need to see evidence from the organisation for whom you foster, and any income you get because of this.

For lodgers, you need to provide evidence of the money that they pay you.

You also need to include details of any joint tenants who are not part of your family, and any other people who live in your home.

Identity

As proof of identity, we can accept:

• birth certificate
• marriage certificate
• passport
• National Insurance number or card
• medical card
• driving licence
• UK residence permit
• EEC identity card
• recent gas or electricity bill

We need to see several documents for each person and for housing register claims, and at least one needs to be photographic.

You will only have to provide evidence of you and/or your partners identity when you claim benefit for the first time.

If you are not a British citizen

If you or your family are not British citizens, you must all prove that you have the correct leave or settled status to live and claim benefits in the UK.

National Insurance

For National Insurance, we can accept:

• National Insurance number or card
• payslips
• official letters from the Department of Work and Pensions

You will only have to provide evidence of you and/or your partner's National Insurance number when you claim benefit for the first time.

Child maintenance

If you are claiming Council Tax Reduction or housing benefit, we must see proof all child maintenance you/your partner are paid, including: 

• letters from the Child Support Agency
• bank statements
• signed statement from the non resident parent 

The evidence provided must show: 

• amount that is paid
• how often it is paid
• which child it is paid in respect of

Child care costs

This only applies if you are claiming benefits, not if you are applying to the housing register.

If your child or children are looked after by a registered childcare provider, you must provide: 

• proof of how much money you pay
• the period these payments are for
• which child the payments are in respect of
• the childcare provider's registration number