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Luton Borough Council

Documents we can accept

You will find comprehensive lists of the types of documents we can accept in support of your application or change of circumstance in each tab below.

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

We must see bank statement for each account you/your partner have, even if the account has no money in it.

You must provide a statement for every bank/building society you/your partners account, showing the full transactions for the two months before you claim benefit.

You must provide evidence of any other capital/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

If you are waiting to hear about a claim for any of these three benefits, you must provide evidence of income and tell us how you are meeting your daily living expenses.

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

We must see proof all child maintenance you/your partner are paid such as:

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

The evidence provided must show the following information:

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

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.

If you are paid every two weeks, we will need to see your last three payslips.

If you are paid every 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.

If you or your partner are self employed, we need to see the accounts for the last financial year or if you have been trading for less than six months, a summary of your trading records so far.

If you do not have accounts, you will have to complete a self employed form.

The following documents are acceptable as proof of identity:

  • birth certificate
  • full or provisional driving licence (photo card)
  • passport (current and valid) or national identity card
  • residence permit, alien's registration certificate, Immigration and National Directorate travel document
  • standard acknowledgement letter (SAL 1 or 2) or Application Registration Card (ARC)

The following documents are acceptable:

  • 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.

This 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 or your partner have applied for a benefit from DWP (such as Jobseekers Allowance / Employment & Support Allowance) but it has not yet been awarded, then please provide a written statement telling us how you are meeting your daily living expenses.

This includes all other income not covered above that you/your partner get - for example, private pensions, annuities, income from rent, voluntary payments etc.

You must provide a payment slip or official letter, which shows how often the income is paid 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 and how often it is paid.

We need to know about all income you and your partner get and any available evidence of this income must be provided.

We should be able to see evidence of other income payments on the bank statements provided by you/your partner.

The following documents are acceptable:

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

This evidence must show the following:

  • landlord's name
  • tenants' name(s)
  • date when tenancy started
  • amount of rent you pay
  • how often the rent is due

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

The evidence must be signed by the tenant and the landlord.

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

Accounts prepared accounts for the last financial year (or other period if requested) showing the total income and a full breakdown of all expenses incurred.

If the business is new, or accounts are not available, a fully completed self-employed form for each business.

If the business is new you must complete a self-employed form with a projection of earnings for the next three months Invoices/receipts as requested.

Please email us on LBC Customer Services Enquiries to request this form.

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

These people could be:

  • dependants
  • You must provide evidence of child benefit for any children / young persons that live with you. We will also need to see their birth certificates.

  • non-dependants
  • Includes grown-up children, friends, other relatives - we will ask you to provide evidence of their income.

    You do not have to do this but it may result in you losing benefit.<.p>

  • foster children

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

  • lodgers
  • You must provide evidence of the money that they pay you.

  • joint tenant who is not part of your family
  • any other people who live in your home
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