Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction information requirements

Identity (ID) - 2 proofs of ID for both you and your partner

This could be your

  • driving licence
  • passport
  • medical card
  • national insurance card
  • home office letter
  • birth certificate etc.

Residency - evidence of where you live

This could be your

  • utility bills showing your current address
  • benefit letters
  • your signed tenancy agreement
  • council tax bill

Household – details of everyone who lives with you

  • if you have non-dependant adults living with you, you have to show evidence of their income too as well as proof of their national insurance number.
  • if your dependant children receive state benefits, such as disability payments you will need to provide evidence of them

Wages – proof of your wages

This is your payslips

  • five weekly
  • three fortnightly 
  • two monthly pay slips

They must be the most recent and consecutive. Or, if you are self-employed, your income and expenditure for the business.

Benefits - all state benefits and tax credits

You do not need to provide evidence of child benefit or other state benefits as we are able to check these directly with the Department of Work and Pensions or HM Revenue & Customs. 

Private pensions

We need to see your pension payment slip, a letter from your pension provider or evidence of it being paid into an account.

Savings and capital

For Housing Benefit only - If you are of working age and have capital of more than £6,000 or of pension age with capital of more than £10,000, we will need to see your passbook or the last two full months bank statements, they can’t be mini statements.  We need information of all accounts you hold or any other savings you may hold e.g. share certificates/bonds/savings certificates.

For Council Tax reduction claimants if you have over £6,000 you are not eligible to claim.

Any other income

Help us to help you by declaring all of your income and making sure that you have original documents that show your income, together with any tax or national insurance you are paying.

Proof of your rent liability

Your signed original tenancy agreement (signed by all parties), a rent book or a letter from your landlord. You don’t need this you if you are a council tenant.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND: The rules say that we cannot assess your claim without the proof we ask for in the list above. However, we can still accept your claim without them whilst you gather the information.

Where else can you get help with making a claim?

We work with lots of groups and people in our community.  You may be able to get help from:

Please note we can ask you to provide additional evidence and information if we believe this is necessary to support your claim or verify your entitlement. 

Don't delay, claim today.