Terms & Conditions

[graeme]

Hello

Could you give some information about under what circumstances your Authorities make Payments on Account, apart from when waiting for RODs?

Reg 93 says that they should be made if a full assessment cannot be made within 14 days of the claim being made so long as the reason is not the failure of the claimant, without good cause, to supply necessary information.

What information might we not have which isn’t the claimants fault for not supplying it.

Thank you.

[Bobkirkpatrick]

Um, two monthly pay slips when they’ve been working for less than 2 months?

Letter from the DWP confirming they are claiming benefit at a new address when they’ve only just moved?

Proof of a non-dependant’s earnings if the non-dependent refuses to supply it?

Proof of receipt of Child Benefit if they’ve just had a baby?

Oh, I could go on……..

[graeme]

If the claimant’s just started work we can make a full decision on less 2 monthly payslips (ie one if we believe it’s representative) Reg 29 2a or an estimate from the employer Reg 29 2b.

We’d never ask a claimant for a letter from the DWP confirming their new address when we can get this direct via CIS. If the claimant hasn’t told the DWP they’ve moved then that is their fault.

There’s no point making an interim decision if you’re never going to get the ND’s income proof. You should make a full decision (what that decision is a matter for a different thread).

The Child Benefit one is a possibility. Would other LAs make a payment on account if a claimant made a new claim at the same time as having a baby and they couldn’t yet supply CB proof, or would you make a full decision? What if they just supply the birth certificate and tell you they’re claiming CB?

Any other scenarios when you make interim payments would also be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

I have known a POA to be made where the claimant was not asked for all the necessary information in the first information request letter.

For example: “Thank you for supplying A, B and C in response to our letter of xx/xx/xxxx. Unfortunately we still require D, E and F because we were too lazy to check your application properly to make sure we asked for everything first time.”

Obviously this is not always possible, if it happens that some of the missing information is essential to any calculation.

[Author]

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