Calculating your award

To enable us to calculate your award you must provide proof of the following: NB: original documents only can be accepted. We suggest you provide documents face to face at our offices rather than sending them in the post. This is so both claimant and council can be sure that the information has been received.

Identification

If you are claiming for the first time we will need to see proof of your own and any partner's identification. Acceptable proof can be as follows

Passport - current and valid
Driving licence
Bank statement (covering at least 2 months)
Recent utility bill - paid
Letter from solicitor/social worker/probation officer/doctor/inland revenue
Birth certificate
Marriage certificate
Divorce papers
Medical card
Home Office letter
UK residence permit

National Insurance number

Acceptable proof of your national insurance number can be as follows

Various benefit books including State retirement pension, Income support but excluding child benefit 4/8 weeks
Letters from DWP (money you get now)
Wage slips
Occupational pension slip
P45/P60 - current employment year only
Tax letters or tax code notices
National insurance numbers

Income

Earnings/Statutory Sick Pay/Statutory Maternity Pay
For applications we require the following

If paid weekly - we require your last five consecutive payslips.
If paid fortnightly - we require your last three consecutive payslips.
If paid four-weekly or calendar monthly - we require your last two consecutive payslips.

If payslips are not available or you have only just started work, you can download the Certificate of earnings form (HB5) for your employer to complete. The payslips or earnings form must show

The employer's name and address
The number of hours worked and the period covered
Gross income for the year to date
Gross income for the period covered
Income tax deducted for the year to date
Income tax deducted for the period covered
National insurance contributions deducted for the year to date
National insurance contributions deducted for the period covered
Any pension contributions
The method of payment - for example, cash, cheque or directly into a bank account

Self employed accounts

The self employed can claim housing benefit and council tax reduction or second adult rebate in the same way as employees. When working out your award we need to calculate the weekly income (deducting tax and national insurance as appropriate) you receive from your business. You will have to complete a self employed earnings and expenses form (SE1) and provide supporting information, this may include:

Day books
Invoices and receipts for all business related income and expenses (within a specified period)
Established businesses may be able to provide certified accounts instead of the above
Pension contributions

Some businesses may have to provide further details unique to their business.

What if you have a new business?
New businesses which are about to start or have been trading for less than one year will be asked to provide either:

An earnings projection form or
Income and expenses details from the start of your business to date.

Childminders
Business expenses are not deducted from the income of self employed childminders. Two thirds of a childminder's income is disregarded when working out entitlement. This allows for payment of income tax, national insurance and half of any applicable pension payments made.

Details of income from any other source, a partners income and savings must also be declared when making a claim.

State benefits

One of the following will be acceptable as proof of state benefits received

Current award notification detailing the current rates of benefit
Current benefit payment order book, which must contain uncashed orders
Current bank statement showing direct payments of benefit

Please note, we will not accept a Job Seeker's Allowance signing-on book as an acceptable proof of income.

Other income

Proof of other income can be given in one of several ways

Recent payment advice slip, for example, to confirm an occupational pension
Current bank statements showing the amount being paid, how often and by whom
Award notification letter, for example, a Child Support Agency notification or court order notice
Letter from the source of the income confirming the amount being paid and how often, for example, to confirm maintenance payments

Household members - dependants

You will need to provide evidence of any dependant's child benefit in one of the following ways

Child benefit award notice issued annually in April
Current bank statement showing direct payment of child benefit

If you pay child care charges for children in your household you need to complete one of our Childcare Details Form (HB3) (53kb, PDF)

Non dependant's income

Proof of a non-dependant's income and capital must be provided before we can make the correct deduction from your claim. If this information is not supplied, the highest non-dependant deduction will be made from your claim.
Download a Certificate of Nondependent Earnings Form (53kb, PDF)

A non-dependant is any person aged 18 years or over who lives with you, but does not pay rent on a commercial basis. This means, for example, an adult son or daughter, or elderly relative. The Government scheme assumes they contribute to your household costs, whether they do or not. Your housing benefit and council tax reduction may be reduced for each non-dependant who lives with you. The level of reduction reflects the non-dependant's income.

Proof of rent

Private tenants
For private tenancies we require either

A current signed tenancy agreement
Your rent book
Verification of Tenancy Form HB 33 completed by your landlord

Complete a Verification of Tenancy Form (HB33) (74kb, PDF).

Council tenants
If you are renting a council property we do not require proof from you as we are able to obtain that information.