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Supplying evidence

 
On your initial application you and your partner must provide original documentation of the following:

  • evidence of all of your income and your partner's income. For example: your pension book, five consecutive weekly wage slips or two monthly payslips
  • evidence of all savings held by you and your partner. For example: the two most recent bank account statements for your various savings accounts as well as your shares and saving bonds
  • evidence of the rent you pay (for private tenants)
  • evidence of income for people over 18 years old living in your property
  • evidence of your and your partner's income from any other sources. For example: property letting, sale of a property or property abroad.
We may request further evidence if we feel you haven't provided enough information.

What type of evidence is acceptable?

Below is a general list of acceptable evidence to support Housing Benefit claims. 

Pension Credits

If you have claimed Housing Benefit via the Pension Service you will not need to provide proof of your income as the Pension Service should provide us with this information.

Benefits and pensions

  • a letter showing your current entitlement from Job Centre Plus or the Pension Service informing you of your entitlement
  • a current benefit book.
Bank statements by themselves are not acceptable. 

Tax Credits

A letter showing your current entitlement from the Inland Revenue.

Wages

Any wage slips must cover the period immediately before your claim.

Wage slips must be consecutive and printed.

  • two wage slips if you are monthly or four-weekly paid
  • five wage slips if you are weekly paid
  • three wage slips if you are fortnightly paid.
The wage slips should show the method of payment, such as 'bank account' or 'cash'.

Hand written wage slips or wage packets are not acceptable. If you have no acceptable wage slips we will write to your employer.

Childcare costs

You will need to provide a letter from the childminder or the organisation that provides the childcare.  The letter must show the name of the child and the amount you pay.

Private and occupation pensions

You will need to provide your current payment slip or letter showing the amount you get.

If you have claimed Housing Benefit via the Pension Service you will not need to provide proof of your income as the Pension Service should provide us with this information.

Student grants and loans  

You will need to provide a statement from the education department showing your current award.

Self employed income

Initially we will need a statement of your accounts for the current year. We may write to you for further proof of any expenses.

Income from rents and property

You will need to provide the tenancy agreements and tax assessment.

Maintenance payments

Any of the following is acceptable:

  • a court order
  • a letter from a solicitor
  • a letter from the person who pays the maintenance that shows their name and address.

Other income

Acceptable evidence will depend on the type of income you get.

Ideally it should be printed, showing the amount, who pays it and the time and manner of payment.

Proof of savings

'Savings' means:

  • any cash savings
  • any money you have in any type of account 
  • shares and bonds
  • property 
  • any lump sum payments.

Bank statements and books

We need to see consecutive statements covering the two months immediately prior to making your claim. Any savings book should be up to date.

Internet statements

These are acceptable as long as they are accompanied by an advice slip that covers the most recent period.

Shares and bonds

We will need to see the certificates.

Property

If you are not the sole owner, we will need to see land registry documents to verify your share of ownership. Otherwise we will need to know the address of the property and the size of the property.

Proof of rent

If you are a Council tenant you do not need to provide proof of your rent

If you are a private tenant you will need to provide a current tenancy or rent agreement which shows your landlords name and address.

If you are a tenant of a housing association you will need to provide a tenancy agreement or a recent letter on headed paper showing your current rent.

If you want to claim Council Tax Benefit as well as Housing Benefit you do not need to provide proof of your Council Tax.

Other people who live with you

For children who are still at school you will need to provide proof of child benefit or child tax credit for that child.

Children who have left school are treated as adults.

For other adults aged over 18, you need to provide proof of all income they get.

How to submit evidence

You can post the necessary documents to:

Advice & Benefits
Riverside House
Woolwich High Street
Woolwich
London SE18 8BU

You can also take them down to the Advice & Benefits reception at Riverside House or Eltham Centre, or to any of the Neighbourhood Housing Offices.

Warning 

Once you have made your claim you are responsible for informing the Council about any changes in your circumstances or changes in the circumstances of the people who live with you. 

You may be liable to prosecution if you knowingly provide false or incomplete information. The Council will seek to prosecute everyone who commits benefit fraud. If you are overpaid benefit you will have to pay it back. 

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