Proofs you need to provide to support your benefit claim

Proof of identity

Please provide any of these documents:

• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• Passport
• Medical card
• Driving licence
• UK residence permit
• EEA (European Economic Area) identity card
• Recently paid gas or electricity bill

Proof of National Insurance number

Please provide either:

• Your National Insurance card
• Payslips or letters from the Department of Work and Pensions or the tax office

Proof of earnings

If you are already in work, please provide:

• Your last five pay slips, if you are paid every week
• Your last three pay slips, if you are paid every two weeks
• Your last two pay slips, if you are paid every four weeks or every month

If you have recently started work and not yet been paid, please provide your contract of employment.

If you don't have any of these documents, you can ask your employer to complete an earnings certificate.

Download an earnings certificate

Self-employed earnings

Please provide either:

• Your last 12 months' accounts
• A summary of trading accounts if you have been trading for six months or less
• A completed self-employment certificate

Download a self-employment certificate

Proof of savings and investments

Please provide either:

• Bank statements
• Building society statements or book

These should show full details of all transactions for at least the last two months.

Please also provide suitable proof of any other other savings and investments, for example:

• Cash amounts
• Land and property
• Stocks and shares
• National Savings Accounts and certificates
• Premium Bonds
• Income bonds
• Savings held jointly with other people

Proof of other income

You must also provide suitable proof of any other income that you have.

This should ideally show:

• The amount that is paid
• Any deductions applied to the payment
• How often the payment is received

Proof of rent

Please provide either:

• Your tenancy agreement
• Your rent book
• A letter from your landlord

This must confirm:

• Your landlord's name
• Your rent amount
• How often your rent is due
• Any service charges included in your rent

Proof of childcare costs

If you pay a registered childminder to look after any of your children, we may be able to allow for this when working out your weekly income.

Please provide suitable proof that shows:

• How much you pay
• The period these payments are for and the number of hours of childcare provided
• Which child is looked after
• Your childcare provider's registration number
• Your childcare provider's name and address

If you don't have suitable proof, you can ask your childcare provider to complete a childcare costs certificate.

Download a childcare costs certificate

Proof of child maintenance

Please provide either:

• A letter from the Child Support Agency
• Bank statements showing the payments received
• A signed statement from the person making the payments

This must confirm:

• Who the money is paid to
• How much is paid
• How often it is paid
• Which child the payment is for