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Home chevron_right Benefits and support chevron_right Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction chevron_right Make a claim chevron_right Providing evidence for your claim

Claiming Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction

Providing evidence for your claim

Providing evidence to support your claim is as important as submitting the claim itself. Without your evidence, your claim will not be valid and you will not get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.

You must provide the information we need to process your claim within one calendar month of the date you submit your claim, otherwise your claim will be withdrawn and you won't receive Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction.

We may need some more information to work out your claim. If we do, we'll write to you.

The evidence below can be submitted as part of your claim by attaching it to the claim form, or you can submit it to us within one calendar month of sending your claim, using the link below (under 'Submitting your supporting evidence online').

Evidence to provide:

proof of identity

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We need to see proof of identify for the household.

Documents that can be accepted as proof include:

  • passport
  • driving licence
  • marriage certificate
  • birth certificate (issued at least two years ago)

proof of National Insurance number

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We need to see proof of National Insurance number for you and your partner.

Documents that can be accepted as proof include:

  • a National Insurance card/letter
  • DWP letters
  • P45, P60 or payslips
  • pension letters

proof of rent

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We need to see proof of rent for any Housing Benefit application, unless you're a Thirteen tenant.

Documents that can be accepted as proof include:

  • a copy of your tenancy agreement
  • a recent rent letter

proof of income

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We need to see proof of income for everyone in your household.

Documents that can be accepted as proof include:

  • the last five weekly, three fortnightly, or two monthly payslips for anyone in employment
  • a copy of latest audited accounts for anyone self-employed or a completed self-employed form if audited accounts aren't available yet.
  • a copy of student income (a full breakdown showing all components) and a student exemption certificate

proof of finances

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We need to see proof of capital, savings, shares, and investments.

Documents that can be accepted as proof include:

  • if capital is in excess of £6000, you'll need to provide evidence of your last two monthly bank or building society statements, property or land deeds, share and unit trust certificates

proof of childcare costs

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We need to see proof of childcare costs.

Documents that can be accepted as proof include:

  • the childcare costs form, which should be printed, completed and stamped by your childcare provider, then returned to us

The easiest way to submit your evidence to us is online, either as part of your claim form, or using the link below (under 'Submitting your supporting evidence online'). You can scan your evidence, or you can take a photo of it with your phone or a camera, as long as we can read it clearly.

If you can't upload your evidence online, please call us on 01642 726006.

Submitting your supporting evidence online

The evidence you need to support your claim should be sent to us within one calendar month of you submitting your claim.

Submit your evidence
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