The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a major change to Universal Credit from today. In an update, it’s Universal Credit guidance on GOV.UK the benefits department confirmed that payslips and P60s can no longer be used for online identity verification for Universal Credit.
Universal Credit is a benefit for people with low incomes or who are unemployed. It also has extra elements that support those with disabilities, carers, and those who are too unwell to work, as well as housing and childcare costs.
As the amount you can get is based on your personal situation, you will need to provide certain information when you apply. This can include payslips, savings, whether you have children, or if you rent or own your home.
Once you have submitted your claim, you need to verify your identity to get your first Universal Credit payment. This helps link the right person to the right claim and reduces the chance of benefit fraud. There are several ways to do this, one of which is through online verification.
As huge DWP changes come into force, the Mirror has launched its very own Money WhatsApp community where you’ll get all the latest money-saving tips and news straight to your phone.
We’ll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in.
All you have to do to join is click on this link, select ‘Join Chat’ and you’re in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group.
We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
For online verification, you will need to provide the DWP with some information that only you would know – and you need to provide two pieces. Previously, there were six ways new Universal Credit claimants could do this; however, now there are only three after the DWP removed the option of using payslips and P60s.
From today, new claimants will need to provide two pieces of information out of the following to verify their claim online:
If you do not want to verify online there are other ways to do so. You can verify your identity through a face-to-face appointment at your local JobCentre, and you can book this through your online Universal Credit account – you can find out how to do this on your “To do” list tab.
For this appointment, you will need to answer several randomly generated questions. Again, these will be about things you should already know.
WHATSAPP GROUP: Get money news and top deals straight to your phone by joining our Money WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
NEWSLETTER: Or sign up to the Mirror’s Money newsletter here for all the best advice and shopping deals straight to your inbox.
The DWP can also call you which is called a “Phone biographical interview” – this may sound concerning however it will simply consist of a phone call and will be very similar to what you will experience in a face to face interview. You may also need to provide the DWP with “identity evidence” which consists of things like:
The DWP guidance notes that its examples are not a “complete list” of all the ways you can verify your identity. Depending on your circumstances, details of the evidence you need to provide will be discussed with you when you apply for Universal Credit.
After you have completed this, further JobCentre meetings may need to be arranged to discuss things such as your claimant commitment. Once this is done, you will be told whether your claim for Universal Credit has been successful. You will then need to wait around five weeks before your first payment arrives.
For all you savvy savers and bargain hunters out there, there’s a golden opportunity to stretch your pounds further. The Money Saving Club newsletter, a favourite among thousands who thrive on catching the best deals, is stepping up its game.
Simply follow the link and select one or more of the following topics to get all the latest deals and advice on: Travel; Property; Pets, family and home; Personal finance; Shopping and discounts; Utilities.
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.
