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  4. Can you get Housing Benefit?
  5. What evidence we need
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What evidence we need

Find out what proof we need for your benefit application.

You can only make a new claim for Housing Benefit if you meet one of the following criteria: 

  • You are single and of state pension credit qualifying age, or
  • Part of a couple and are both of state pension credit qualifying age, or
  • Part of a couple and been continuously receiving Pension Credit since at least 14/05/19. Find your State Pension Credit qualifying age  Opens in a new window .
  • Live in supported accommodation
  • Have been placed in temporary accommodation by the Local Authority

If not you need to claim Universal Credit  Opens in a new window  for help with paying your rent.

When you make a claim for Housing Benefit you need to send us supporting evidence. Our claim form gives you details of all the evidence you will need to give us.

You should submit your claim even if you do not have all of the supporting information and evidence we need, but please make sure you provide any missing information to us within one month. If you do not provide all the evidence we need, we might not be able to pay you.

Submitting your documents online is the easiest and quickest way to provide your evidence. You can get information on our upload evidence to support a benefit claim page.

Evidence that we may need

Evidence of identity

  • Birth certificate
  • Marriage certificate
  • Passport (current in-date)  
  • Medical card
  • Driving license
  • UK residence permit
  • European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status
  • Home Office letter
  • Recent paid gas or electricity bill (within the last 3 months)
  • Bank or building society statements (within the last 3 months)
  • TV Licence
  • Telephone bill (within the last 3 months)
  • Current insurance document

We will need to be provided with 2 of these documents for yourself and any partner. Housing Benefit Regulations state that we must see original identification, we cannot accept scanned images of identity.

Do not send any valuable documents through the post to us. Please use the secure document deposit system at the self-service points in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham Libraries. All original documents will be returned to you in the post.

  • National Insurance number card
  • Pay slips
  • Letters from the Department for Work and Pensions, or Tax Office.

We will need to see at least 2 of these documents for yourself and any partner.

  • Full tenancy agreement (all pages and signed by the landlord/agent) 
  • Rent book
  • Rent receipts
  • A letter from your landlord.

If you do not have a written agreement, receipts or rent book, please ask your landlord to complete a landlords declaration.

Landlords Declaration
This is filled out by landlords for proof of rent.
  • Your last five wage slips if you are paid every week
  • Your last three wage slips if you are paid fortnightly
  • Your last two wage slips if you are paid monthly or 4 weekly

If you are unable to obtain wage slips please ask your employer to complete a certificate of earnings.

Earnings Certificate
Employers should complete this certificate if their employee has applied for housing benefit or council tax support

If you have just started work please supply your contract of employment or a letter from your employer.

If you are self employed you will need to complete a Self Employed Earnings Form.

  Self-employed Earnings Form

  • Pension slips
  • Proof of other benefits
  • Proof of any other income that you receive

If you are working age and you and your partner hold capital over £5500, or if you are pension age and you and your partner hold capital over £9500 we need to see the following:

  • At least the last 2 months details for all your bank, building society or post office accounts
  • Premium Bonds
  • National Savings Certificates
  • Stocks, shares, bonds and unit trusts
  • A financial interest in a property that you own or jointly own
Property valuation form
We may need the current market value of the property so please complete the valuation form and provide proof where requested
This page was last updated over three months ago

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