You must complete, sign and return a claim form to the Council. Throughout the form, details are given about the documentary evidence that we will need in order to assess the claim.
All supporting documents must be originals because we are unable to accept photocopies. The table below confirms which documents we will need.
Acceptable and Unacceptable Forms of Proof
| Items that we need proof for |
Documents that we can accept |
Unsuitable documents |
|---|
Your rent
(unless you are a Worthing Homes tenant) |
- Your current tenancy agreement
- A completed "Proof of rent" form (this is included in the Council's claim form)
- A letter from your landlord detailing the amount of your rent, how often it's due, the date that the tenancy started and which services (if any) are included
|
- A rent account statement
- Your rent book or rent receipts
- Bank statements showing rent payments
|
| Benefits that you receive from the Department for Work & Pensions or The Pension Service
|
- Your benefit award letter that has been sent to the address that you are claiming Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit for (please send all the pages)
- Your bank statements showing payments (including a reference number). However, we cannot accept this as evidence for new claims because we need to know the start date of the state benefit award
|
- An award letter sent to a previous address
|
| Tax Credits |
- Your latest award letter from HMRC sent to the address that you are claiming Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit for
|
- Bank statements showing payments
- An award letter sent to a previous address
|
| Child Benefit |
- Your Child Benefit award letter sent to the address that you are claiming Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit for
- Your bank statements showing payments (including a reference number)
|
- An award letter sent to a previous address
|
| Savings and investments |
- Bank statements showing all transactions for the last 2 months
- Building society passbooks that have been updated within the last month
- Your latest statement for savings accounts (such as ISA's or TESSA's)
- Certificates for shares, Unit Trusts and National Savings Certificates
- Premium Bonds
Note: you must send statements for all the accounts you have even if they are overdrawn
|
- Mini statements
- Statements not on bank headed paper
|
| Earnings |
- Either two monthly, five weekly or three fortnightly payslips (these must be the most recent ones you have received and be consecutive)
- A "Certificate of Earnings" form filled in by your employer and either stamped with a company stamp or accompanied by a letter from your employer on headed paper confirming the details are correct
|
- Hand written payslips
- Bank statements showing your wages being paid in
|
| Self-employed earnings |
- Your most recent certified or audited accounts
- A completed "Self Employed" form to confirm your income and expenditure, plus receipts to confirm the amounts
|
|
| Maintenance |
- Your most recent letter from the Child Support Agency
- A letter from the person who pays the maintenance confirming the amount and frequency of the payments
|
- Bank statements showing the payments
|
| Occupational pensions from former employers, private pensions and annuities |
- Your most recent payment slip
- The most recent letter from your pension provider
|
- Bank statements showing the payments
|
| Child Care Payments |
- A letter from your child care provider confirming the Ofsted Registration number of the person or organisation providing the care
|
- Bank statements showing the payments you make
|
| Student income |
- Your loan or grant award letter
|
- Bank statements showing the payments you receive
|
| Any other income |
- Official documents from the person or organisation making the payments that confirm the amount you receive and how often it's paid
|
- Bank statements showing the payments you receive
|
Providing Proof of Identity
If you have not received Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit from Worthing Council within the last six months, you will also be required to provide two documents proving your identity. Documents must be the originals and not photocopies:
- A current passport
- A current driving licence
- Your birth or marrige certificate
- Your medical card
- Your National Insurance Number card
- A solicitor's letter
- Your divorce papers
- Your UK residence permit
- A Home Office Standard acknowledgement letter (SAL1 or 2)
- A certificate of employment in HM Forces or Merchant Navy
- Your identity card issued by an EC or EEA Member State
- Letters from a solicitor, social worker, probation officer or HM Revenues & Customs
- A gas or electricity bill dated within the last three months, which has been paid
If possible, it is advisable for you bring the original documents to the public enquiry counter at the Town Hall where we can photocopy them and return them to you immediately. Alternatively, you can post them to us and we will photocopy and send them back to you on the same day.
If you receive Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based) you may not need to give us proof of your other income and savings. Please check with a member of staff exactly what is needed.
If you receive Pension Credit you will not need to provide proof of your other income and savings. Instead, you will need to provide all the pages of your Pension Credit award letter.
However, if you are claiming Housing Benefit and you want us to make payments to you, you will need to give us details of your bank account, showing the account number, sort code and your name and address.
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