Terms & Conditions

[marcia]

Hi there,
can I just ask if you verify residency for your private new claims, and if you do how do you do it?
Do you visit all of your new private claimants to check that they are living there, or do you ask to see a utility bill or some other ‘official’ document with the new address on it like a bank statement?
Since we stopped working to VF we have been accepting a tenancy agreement or letter from the landlord that confirms the rent charge and the fact that there is a tenancy with the start date, but we’re worried now that this may not be enough. I can’t find anything that tells you how to actually verify residency, just that we should. So does that mean it’s up to us how we do it?
Also, if you can’t verify residency what do you do about it?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Anonymous]

We used to visit all new claims within 3 months of the claim being made. We found quite a lot of dodgy claims. However due to staff cuts we no longer do this.

[esmith66]

we ask for proof of residency for all new claims & changes of address (except passported claims when the address held by the DWP is up to date), usually an utility bill or a council tax registration form, and we visit any room only cases. we don’t accept tenancy agreements as proof of residency, but do accept payments made on the c/tax account (or rent account for LA tenancies)

[Author]

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