Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Local Welfare Provision
Operating Guidelines
1. Purpose
The purpose of this document is to outline how Stoke-on-Trent City Council will
operate a ‘Local Welfare Provision’ scheme. The document will specify the criteria
used to determine an award, the assistance offered and the items/services both
included and excluded.
A holistic assessment will be carried out on each case and all applications will be
viewed on their own merits. All applicants will receive equal and fair treatment to take
account of the Council’s responsibilities under all relevant legislation, including the
Human Rights Act (1998) and Equality Act (2010).
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is committed to working with the local community and
voluntary organisations to facilitate the implementation of this scheme.
2. Considerations for an award
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.1.4
2.1.5
2.1.6
2.1.7
2.1.8
This scheme will consider two categories of need:
 Crisis Support
 Community Planned Support
Stoke-on-Trent City Council will consider making an award to applicants who
meet the criteria set out in this document. This is a discretionary scheme and
applicants do not have an automatic right to an award.
No cash awards will be made. No repayment of support is required.
Each applicant will be restricted to no more than 3 crisis support awards within a
rolling 12 month period, commencing from the date of the first application within
that specific period. If the customer is applying for a medium value item, such as
clothing, or travel, they will be restricted to 2 awards within that 12 month period.
If the customer is applying for a high value item, such as a fridge/freezer they will
be restricted to 1 award within that 12 month period.
Each applicant will be restricted to no more than 2 awards of Community planned
support within a rolling twelve month period.
A decision for an award may be conditional upon the applicant agreeing or
meeting certain requirements to prevent the risks associated with the crisis or
care needs reoccurring. For example, if a customer presents with a drug or
alcohol addiction, the applicant will be required to seek treatment or attend
appointments with relevant support agencies or specialist health workers.
If the customer is in receipt of Housing Benefit and is suffering from exceptional
financial hardship as a direct result of housing costs, the application may instead
be treated in accordance with the Council’s Discretionary Housing Payment
Policy.
If the customer is suffering from exceptional financial hardship as a direct result
of their council tax liability, the application may instead be treated in accordance
with the Council Tax Hardship Relief Fund Policy.
3. Crisis Support
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.1.3
3.1.4
3.1.5
3.1.6
3.2
3.2.1
Crisis Support awards cover situations where a household has insufficient
resources to meet an urgent need that poses an immediate and substantial risk
to their health, safety and wellbeing.
A crisis refers to an urgent need as a consequence of an emergency disaster,
unforeseen circumstance or a pressing need that is greater than the pressures
generally associated with managing on a low income. A crisis could, for example,
cover the following risks:
 Resulting from, or to prevent, exceptional pressure or disaster such as fire
or flood
 No access to essential items
 Imminent risk of children being taken into care
 Unexpected death of an immediate family member
 Domestic abuse, neglect and harm
 Imminent risk of homelessness
What will not be considered as a crisis may include:
 Minor damage or mishap including the failure of a household item;
 Lost or spent money,
 Inability to access savings or capital;
In determining the nature and complexity of a crisis, we will consider:
 Circumstances that place the household/immediate family members
under greater pressure than might normally be associated with managing
on a low income. It does not matter whether it is a single major pressure
or the cumulative effect of a number of less significant pressures, which
may not be exceptional if taken individually. It is the overall impact on the
household’s circumstances that will be assessed.
 The individual’s/household’s resources and skills for coping with the crisis
 The point at which the crisis occurred and the date the application was
received.
We will also take into account whether the urgent need:
 Can be met by other sources either in part or in full;
 Would be resolved with immediate support;
 Is the result of an act of omission for which the applicant or partner is
responsible;
 Was unavoidable
If the crisis has resulted from a number of different factors such as deteriorating
health, drug and alcohol problems, unemployment etc. we will review whether the
applicant:
 Is in receipt of agency support and;
 Whether this support will prevent the crisis from re-occurring.
Claiming an award
To be considered as eligible for an award, applicants must satisfy ALL of the
following core eligibility criteria:
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


3.2.2
3.3
3.3.1
3.4
3.4.1
3.4.2
3.5
3.5.1
3.5.2
3.5.3
3.6
3.6.1
Be aged over 16;
Have a legal recourse to public funds;
Be a resident of Stoke-on-Trent; and
Be without sufficient resources to meet an urgent need that poses a serious
risk to the health and safety of the applicant or their immediate family
members.
Applicants will be required to provide proof of identification during the decision
making process – see appendix C.
Exclusions
The following people are excluded for support in all circumstances:
 A person in hospital or care home (independent or Local Authority),
unless their discharge is planned to take place imminently
 A person with no recourse to public funds in the U.K subject to the
Immigration and Asylum Act.
 A person or immediate family member that has received 3 awards within a
rolling 12 month period, commencing from the date their last application
was received. Exemptions may be granted in exceptional circumstances.
In such cases, the applicant may be required to attend an interview.
 Prisoners and people lawfully detained, including those released on
parole or on bail pending a court hearing.
 Members of a religious order who are fully maintained by the order.
Payable items
Crisis support is only payable for the following items:
 Living expenses (food, clothing)
 Travel expenses (e.g. when the customer is stranded away from home)
 Repaying emergency credit on pre-payment fuel meters
There will be no cash awards
Household resources
A decision maker will consider whether an applicant, partner or immediate family
member has sufficient capital resources to meet their needs. For the purposes of
this scheme, resources refer to: savings in cash, money in bank accounts, saving
schemes, premium bonds, stocks, shares and investments in property or land
The decision maker will take into account current possession of essential
household resources such as food, clothing in their assessment of need.
The decision maker will also take into account any existing provision of support,
either by a support agency or family network.
DWP Budgeting loans and Short term advances
Out of work benefit claimants should contact the Department for Work and
Pensions for a Short term Benefit Advance if they require a cash advance or are
awaiting their first benefit payment. They should also contact the Department for
Work and Pensions for a budgeting loan where they have lost or spent money.
3.7
3.7.1
3.7.2
3.7.3
3.7.4
3.7.5
Method of the award
An award could be in the form of:
 A food parcel
 A pre-paid voucher, which the applicant can use to purchase the agreed
items/goods
 A purchase order being raised for the agreed item/service on behalf of the
applicant by Stoke-on-Trent City Council
 The use of a third party to purchase the agreed item or service on behalf of
Stoke-on-Trent City Council for the applicant.
No cash awards will be made
Depending on applicants’ circumstances, awards may be made to:
 The applicant
 Their partner or immediate family member acting as an appointee
 An advocate service or statutory authority acting on behalf of the applicant.
Arrangements through third parties may be sought where the applicant has an
illness or disability that impairs their ability to make a transaction or receive
delivery of an agreed item/service.
Proof of identity will be required (see appendix C) when collecting or receiving
goods/items.
4. Community Planned Support
4.1.1
4.1.2
4.1.3
Community planned support is to help vulnerable people live independent lives to
remain, and settle, in the community.
An application may be made in the following circumstances:
 As part of a planned programme of resettlement support
 To help the customer to remain in the community
 To help the customer to set up home in the community
 To support a customer leaving an institution. An institution may include
hostels or short term supported accommodation, hospital, chronic care
facilities, refuges, prisons or a residential care home.
 To help to maintain family independence
To qualify for an award the customer must be in receipt of an income related
state benefit and/or child tax credits, or in the case of planned resettlement, has
made a claim for one of these benefits.
 Income Support
 Income related Employment and Support Allowance
 Income based Jobseekers Allowance
 Pension Credit
 Child Tax Credits
4.1.4
4.1.5
4.1.6
4.1.7
4.1.8
4.2
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.2.3
4.2.4
4.2.5
4.2.6
4.2.7
Under certain circumstances, we will not preclude applications from people who
are ‘in work’ but have insufficient resources to meet a care need arising from an
exceptional pressure.
The applicant must demonstrate that the need cannot be met by another source,
and the award will have a substantial and immediate effect on improving their
circumstances.
The applicant will be required to supply information about their circumstances
and care needs. If necessary, applicants may be advised to seek assistance from
statutory health and social care agencies, as well as community and voluntary
organisations for the purpose of collating and verifying information.
It may be necessary to liaise with other local agencies to avoid duplication of
work to be carried out under statutory obligation.
When considering an award for Community Planned Support, full regard to the
circumstances of each applicant will be given. See appendix A.
Help for people as part of a programme of resettlement support
This award is intended to help people to establish a settled way of life following a
period of continuous instability
An award is dependent on the application forming part of a planned resettlement
programme. This programme must include
 Help to set up a new home or secure stable accommodation
 Activities/actions designed to help the applicant settle in the community
If the requested item(s)/service(s) are for the purpose of setting up a new home,
the home need not be permanent, for example a customer moving into a refuge
that will eventually lead to a settled way of life.
A resettlement plan must include a programme of actions. This may include
support with employment and budgeting, and help to address health and
behavioural problems that may have caused an unsettled way of life.
The support must go beyond accommodation needs (i.e. setting up a new home),
and must be specific to the individual. It should also include active engagement
by the applicant and, where appropriate, a multi-agency approach.
To determine whether an applicant has an unsettled way of life, a range of
circumstances will be considered, in particular:
 When the applicant last lived in settled accommodation
 The different places they have stayed
 The types of accommodation involved
 The periods spent in each place
 The reason for leaving
 Factors causing an unsettled way of life
If the unsettled way of life is a consequence of an act or omission to which the
customer is responsible for, or could have taken steps to avoid, an award will not
be made, unless there are exceptional circumstances for doing so.
An unsettled way of life may refer to the following situations:
 A rough sleeper
 A person using a night shelter, temporary accommodation or a hostel over
a prolonged period of time
 Victims of domestic abuse seeking refuge
This list is not exhaustive, each case will be considered on its own merits. Not all
residents of the above accommodation will be deemed to be without a settled
way of life.
4.2.8 Applicants moving into care settings such as residential homes cannot claim
4.2.9 Awards will not be made retrospectively to cover costs already incurred in setting
up a home.
4.2.10 In determining whether a home has already been established, the decision maker
will consider:
 How long the applicant has been living in the property
 The furniture and equipment they already have
 How they are managing without the items they lack
4.3
4.3.1
4.3.2
4.3.3
4.3.4
4.3.5
4.3.6
Help for people to remain in the community
This is designed to support someone to live independently rather than go into
institutional or residential accommodation, such as a care home, hospital,
rehabilitation unit or local authority care.
Prisoners or young offenders will not qualify under this criteria
The risk of the person being taken into care has to be substantial and supported
by evidence verified by a statutory authority, lead social care professional or
health practitioner. This evidence must substantiate that the threat of care is
imminent and that the service being requested would directly address this risk.
The person concerned should require a significant and substantial amount of
care or supervision because they:
 Cannot adequately look after themselves or others
 Would be a danger to themselves or others
 Are at risk of harm or abuse
In order to verify a care need, we will seek information from professional
agencies working within a health or social care role.
In considering applications we will liaise with health and social care agencies to
assess:
 If the applicant requires a significant and substantial amount of care
 Whether the items applied for will address their care needs and help to
reduce the risk of the applicant going into care
 Whether broader support is in place to prevent the person from entering
care.
 The extent to which their current or planned accommodation is not suited
to their needs and represents a risk to their health and safety
 Any other support provided
 The level, length and frequency of this support in relation to the person’s
health and on-going needs.
 Whether planned support will prevent homelessness, exploitation or harm
If the customer is suffering from a deteriorating medical condition that will
inevitably lead them to go into care, community planned support will not meet
their short term need.
4.4
4.4.1
4.4.2
4.4.3
4.4.4
4.4.5
4.4.6
4.4.7
4.4.8
4.4.9
Help for people leaving care to establish themselves in the community
Care refers to institutional or residential accommodation in which the person
concerned has received care. This could include:
 Hospitals
 Local authority care
 Residential care homes
 Chronic care facilities
The person leaving care should require a significant and substantial amount of
care or supervision because they:
 Cannot adequately look after themselves or other; or
 They would be a danger to themselves or others
The applicant will be required to provide verification of this.
Care awards can be claimed up to 6 weeks in advance of the customer leaving
one of the above institutions or residential accommodations.
The decision maker will liaise with health care practitioners and statutory
agencies to ascertain if the care planned will match the person’s health needs
and that the items requested will also address these needs.
In the case of children and young people leaving care, we will liaise with health
and social care agencies to ensure that they are able to establish themselves
safely and securely in the community to prevent the risk of homelessness,
exploitation and harm. Awards may be granted for children and young people
who; have left care in the last 12 months; or are in the process of setting up a
new home, if age appropriate.
Applicants will be required to demonstrate what other broader support will be in
place to help them to:
 Make the immediate transition from care to the community
 Remain in the community and not return to care
Planned care should match the immediate and on-going needs of the individual;
verified by a senior health care practitioner or a statutory authority, such as a GP,
specialist physician, psychiatrist, family nurse or social services.
We will assess whether broader community care is planned, such as assistance
from support workers and informal care givers. In doing so, we will evaluate,
based on the advice given by lead professionals, whether the nominated care
givers are reliable, responsible and appropriately matched to the person’s care
needs, especially if a child or young person is re-joining the household after a
period in care.
Each application will be assessed on its own merits in the context of the
individuals: symptoms; level of functioning; finances; family and community
resources.
If the customer is suffering from a deteriorating medical condition that will
inevitably lead them to go into care, community planned support will not meet
their short term need.
4.5
4.5.1
4.5.2
4.5.3
4.5.4
4.5.5
4.5.6
4.5.7
4.6
4.6.1
4.6.2
4.6.3
4.6.4
Help with maintaining family independence
Community Planned Support may be awarded to ease exceptional pressures on
a family that are beyond what might normally be experienced by families on a low
income
The decision maker will consider the degree of this pressure in terms of its effect
on the individual family as well as the type of pressure or how common it is.
The applicant must be in receipt of designated support as part of a planned
programme.
"Exceptional pressure" covers a wide range of personal circumstances. It may be
the result of acute domestic difficulties which can be described as specific to the
family, such as:
 the breakdown of a relationship (especially where domestic violence is
involved); or
 the onset of, or deterioration in, a disability of a member of the family
It may also consist of:
 a house fire; or
 a natural disaster such as flooding; or
 where a disaster has resulted in the evacuation of all or part of a community
to a different area, which may also include evacuation to the UK from
overseas
The specific circumstances giving rise to a need will be considered when
deciding the priority of an application. A higher priority may be given to a new
type of expense which has arisen as a direct result of special circumstances,
particularly if these were unforeseeable. For example:
 a mother with young children needs household items following the violent
breakdown of a relationship; or
 the sudden deterioration in the condition of a disabled child justifies an
award for a washing-machine; or
 a family is experiencing hardship as the result of a localised disaster and
urgently needs the replacement of essential household items damaged or
destroyed as a result of this disaster
In order to verify a care need, we will seek information from professional agencies
working within a health or social care role.
Method of award
Community planned support will be awarded in the form of:
 Furniture
 White goods
 Connection charges
There will be no cash awards
The value of the award will be discretionary. Awards exceeding £650.00 may
require additional supporting evidence of need, the exact nature of which will
depend on the items being requested.
Depending on applicants’ circumstances, awards may be made to:
 The applicant
 Their partner or immediate family member acting as an appointee
4.6.5
4.6.6
 An advocate service or statutory authority acting on behalf of the applicant.
Arrangements through third parties may be sought where the applicant has an
illness or disability that impairs their ability to make a transaction or receive
delivery of an agreed item/service.
Proof of identity will be required (see appendix D) when collecting or receiving
goods/items.
5. Claiming an award
5.1.1
5.1.2
To be considered as eligible for an award, applicants must satisfy ALL of the
following core eligibility criteria:
 Be aged over 16
 Be a resident of Stoke-on-Trent
 Be without sufficient resources to meet an urgent need that poses a serious
risk to the health and safety of the applicant or their immediate family
members.
Applications for Community planned Support will be unsuccessful where financial
assistance is available elsewhere – see appendix B.
6. How to apply
6.1.1
6.1.2
6.1.3
6.1.4
6.1.5
An application can be submitted via:
 Telephone on 01782 238888
 Post to – Benefit Services, Swann House, Boothen Road, Stoke, Stokeon-Trent, ST4 4RY.
 Email – [email protected]
 In person at Bentilee Neighbourhood Centre, Norton One Stop Shop,
Stoke Local Service Centre, Burslem One Stop Shop and at Tunstall
Local Centre
 A referral from an advocate, agency or statutory authority acting on the
applicants behalf
The council will consider applications submitted by service providers, who on
behalf of individuals, routinely provide support and guidance for their clients.
Such applications must be made with the individual’s explicit consent. Providers
could include, but are not restricted to: Citizens Advice Bureau, Health and Social
Care providers and other advocacy support agencies.
If necessary, applicants may be advised to seek assistance from statutory and
advocacy agencies for the purpose of compiling and verifying information.
In the case of an out of hours emergency the customer should contact the
Emergency Duty Team on 01782 234234. This includes circumstances where:
 a child is at risk of abuse, harm or neglect,
 an adult is at risk of abuse, harm or danger to themselves,
 the customer is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
If the customer is a council tenant and needs to report emergency repairs or
housing problems, they should contact 01782 234234.
7. Decision making process
7.1.1
7.1.2
7.1.3
A decision maker will consider various means of gathering information in order to
reach a decision on an application. This will include, but is not restricted to, the
following methods:
 Telephone contact – We may contact the customer to verify information
provided; clarify details of the crisis or care need; review factors that have
caused an immediate need; discuss other support already received and
available.
 Interview – If the customer requires significant, on-going support, an
interview may be carried out so that a holistic assessment can be carried
out.
 Liaison with third sector agencies and statutory authorities – We will seek
to verify the substantial and imminent risks to the applicant’s overall
health and safety and that of any immediate family members. We will
clarify whether the service or items applied for will address this need and
establish any on-going support required and provided in order to prevent
further crisis’ of a similar nature.
 Home visit – this may be necessary when the decision maker requires
additional information and the applicant has complex needs and an
assessment needs to be carried out to determine the actual level of risk;
or the applicant has physical or mental impairments and requires
assistance in making an application.
An applicant may be granted opportunity to correct errors or supply additional
information if it is deemed reasonable to do so. Should further information be
required, this may be requested in writing, by telephone, by email, or via
agencies acting on behalf of the customer.
The operation of the scheme is at the council’s discretion and there is no
automatic entitlement to an award. A decision maker may reject an application on
the basis:
 The applicant has received more than the specified number of awards
within a rolling 12 month period and is unable to satisfy the decision
maker that there were exceptional circumstances for this.
 Insufficient information is provided to verify the applicant’s need,
circumstances and eligibility
 It is deemed that the application is not genuine
In determining an application a decision maker may conclude:
 An application be rejected
 A partial award is granted
 An award is made in full for the items requested
 Where the customers circumstances satisfy the criteria for an award but
the items or services requested will not address that immediate risk to
health and safety, the decision maker may exercise discretion to
recommend alternative items, services and relevant agencies.
 To access alternative streams of funding where more appropriate, such
as Discretionary Housing Payments.
7.1.4
Stoke-on-Trent City Council may reject an application at any stage of the
application process.
8. Notification
8.1.1
8.1.2
Applicants will be notified of their decision either in writing or via the telephone.
The reasons for the decision and will be explained and the customer will be
advised of alternative support available where appropriate
Should an applicant be unsuccessful, they can ask for their decision to be
reviewed.
9. Disputes
9.1 The customer can request a review of any decision.
9.1.1 An applicant (or their appointee or agent) who disagrees with a decision can
request a right to seek a review if they can demonstrate:
 A decision was made on a factual error that was through no fault of the
applicant
 An oversight on a significant piece of evidence
 New evidence has come emerged that was not available when the
original application was submitted
The applicant must provide the relevant details, and it is at the discretion of the
council as to whether a review will take place.
Such requests should be made in writing to: Benefit Services, Swann House,
Boothen Road, Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4RY within one calendar month of the
decision being issued.
9.1.2
10.
If an applicant wishes to make a complaint about the nature in which their enquiry
or application was dealt with, we will adhere to our corporate complaints policy.
Monitoring
10.1 To ensure transparency and consistency, there will be regular monitoring of
applications and awards. Such monitoring will be undertaken with due regard to the
council’s responsibilities under all relevant legislation. Steps will be taken to
monitor the implementation of this policy to ensure that no one is subject to
disproportionate treatment. The council will act with due regard to the need to:
 Remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by persons who share a
relevant protected characteristic specified in the equalities act and other
relevant legislation.
 Take steps to meet the needs of persons who share relevant protected
characteristics that are different from the needs of persons who do not
share it
 Foster good relations
11.
Communication
11.1.1 We will publicise the scheme and work with all interested parties to achieve this.
The scheme will be publicise on the Council’s website and the Council will ensure
that key local agencies, front line staff, community and voluntary sector
organisations are aware of how the scheme works.
11.1.2 All written correspondence should be sent to: Benefit Services, Stoke-on-Trent
City Council, Swann House, Boothen Road, Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4RY
Appendix A
Consideration for a Community Planned Support award
Upon receipt of an application for community planned support, full regard to the
customer’s circumstances will be given, including:
 Whether the applicant is leaving institutional care and will be discharged
within the next 6 weeks.
 A person’s ability to cope with independent living as a result of physical and
mental illness or disability.
 The presence of a chronic illness and the extent to which this illness causes
an exceptional need.
 The breakdown of relationships perhaps involving domestic violence
 Experience of abuse and/or neglect.
 The length of any period of residential or institutional care.
 Periods of rough sleeping.
 Whether a move to temporary accommodation or a refuge will facilitate a
more settled way of life in the future.
 Any support received from voluntary agencies in respect of financial advice.
 Whether the customer is a former member of the armed forces and is
struggling to setup home in the community.
 Whether the customer is an ex-offender who is having difficulty finding
accommodation.
 Whether the customer, or a household member is subject to Social Services
intervention.
 Whether the customer is a registered carer.
 Whether the customer is a care leaver.
 Whether an award would prevent a move that would have detrimental effects
on the customer and their household, for example children’s schooling,
health, support networks or employment.
 Whether customers are entitled to other welfare benefits but are not currently
claiming them.
 The presence of a wider support family support network and the ability of
those family members to contribute financially to support the applicant.
 Whether the customer could reduce non-essential expenditure.
 Will the award help to keep the family together, assist in the safeguarding of a
vulnerable adult or child, or support a young person in the transition into adult
life.
 Any reasons that make in necessary, in the opinion of the decision maker, for
the applicant to continue to reside in their current home.
This list is not exhaustive and the operation of the scheme is at the council’s
discretion. Full regard will be given to the applicant’s circumstances and a holistic
assessment carried out to establish the needs of the applicant.
Appendix B
Community Planned Support exclusions
Applications for Community planned Support will be unsuccessful where financial assistance
is available elsewhere. Awards will not be granted in respect of:



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










A need arising outside the United Kingdom.
Assistance for educational or training needs including, clothes, tools, school
uniforms, sports clothing for school, travelling expenses to school.
School meals taken during school holidays where children are entitled to free school
meals.
Legal expenses.
Domestic assistance and respite care.
Repairs to a council property
A medical, surgical, optical or dental item or service
Work related expenses including fares when seeking work and the cost of clothes
Debts to other government departments
Investments
Holidays
Housing costs in respect of: Council tax, mortgage payments, utility payments, water
rates, council water charges, sewerage rates, service charges etc.
Removal or storage charges if you are being rehoused as a result of a compulsory
purchase order, or under a statutory duty to the homeless.
A customer living at home with family
Running costs for any motor vehicle except where the payment is being considered
for emergency travel expenses.
Any other expense or service that the Local Authority has a statutory duty to provide
The decision maker will always consider the availability of other financial assistance
available, and look to signpost the customer to access the appropriate stream of funding.
Appendix C
Identification required
The applicant must provide proof of identification before they can receive an award of crisis
support.
This will need to include at least 2 of the following documents:
- 1 document from Section 1
- 1 document from Section 2
Or where the customer is unable to provide proof of identification, 3 documents including
-
1 or 2 documents from Section 2
1 or 2 documents from Section 3
Section 1: Photograph
A document displaying a recent and clear photograph of the claimant, this may include:
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Current valid (signed) full UK Passport;
Current valid (signed) overseas Passport;
Current valid EEA Member State ID card
Current valid Full UK/EU Driving Licence Card
Current valid Provisional UK/EU Driving Licence Card
Current valid Student Card
Current valid Citizen ID card
Current valid Bus pass
Section 2: Name and Address
A document sent to the claimant at their current address, this may include:
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DWP Letter dated within the last 2 months
Utility Bill dated within the last 2 months
Current year’s Council Tax Bill
Current Valid Full UK Driving License (Paper document);
Bank Statement dated within the last 2 months
Credit Card Statement dated within the last 2 months
Section 3: National Insurance Number
A document displaying their National Insurance Number, this may include:
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DWP letter dated within the last 2 months
Current Benefits Agency Book
Wage Slip
These lists are not exhaustive and the decision maker will also strive to verify identification
by examining available computer systems, in order to give regard to the difficulty that some
applicants will experience in providing the above evidence.