How do you have valid ID if you haven’t got a driving license or can afford a passport.

[whippitwoowoo]

A vulnerable person I know is trying to claim UC. They have neither id documents or own a mobile phone. They just can’t afford one.
I’ve tried to help them with a claim but we are going round and round in circles trying to validate their identity.
They have also been evicted so their paperwork is not the correct address.
I’ve spoken to the UC helpline who have said the person must sign up and validate themselves.

It’s so frustrating and they are desperate to get a claim moving. The claim has been entered on the system but they can’t validate themselves.
Any advice ?

Cheapest option is a provisional license. I can’t think how else they’d ID themselves photo wise without one for a reasonable price. It does say you can use a debit or credit card on the website to ID yourself. Surely a card plus birth certificate and a NI number or something would suffice

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/you_cannot_claim_universal_credi

Bank statement and birth certificate. Cheapest Photo ID is probably provisional driving license

A Citizencard if someone can act as a referee. Citizencard.com

A citizencard can be used as photo ID for anyone who doesn’t have a drivers license or passport. It’s £15 and like a passport you can prove your identity by getting someone to certify that you are who you say you are if you don’t have any other photo id.

www.citizencard.com/apply-for-a-uk-id-card-online

I had to scrape together the money for a passport years ago as I was told that was the only ID my bank and future employers would accept. A provisional license is cheaper if it has to be photo ID.

Note there is a long wait for any licenses at the DVLA currently so it won’t be a quick process
.

He can’t get a provisional licence unfortunately.

He is also homeless so doesn’t have current documents with an address on to probe any identity.

What about copy of birth certificate?

Have a claim on uc as a non driver, they needed 3 months of bank statements and a tenancy agreement as I was in rented. However I'm not sure how the residency affects your friend. The only was to get anywhere with universal credit is to keep ringing up and explaining. The universal credit helpline is the best place to start.

You have to keep on at them as I'm sure they can process the claim taking into account your friends circumstances as they deal with people in lots of different circumstances, there really is no excuse not to process your friends claim.

I had my universal credit completely stopped due to the fact I had put in extra information for my claim that husband had left a joint rented tenancy and that I was always paying the full amount of rent , even though it was classed as me paying only half and had a lower amount towards housing.

Because I queried it and gave evidence they shut down my payments. Nothing , I am a single parent, had to contact c.a.b. who may be useful in this situation.

Best of luck to you and your friend it's very stressful

They need to submit their claim and an adviser can speak to them over the phone and ID them using biometric data or another means.

In our council there's a specialist team that deal with cases like this, you can do it without photo id but at least need a proof of address,

Is he street homeless or sofa surfing? A care of address is acceptable if he has someone stable who will let him use their address.

Order him a free sim card online and activate it in your phone. Let him access the number that way

In my town there is a place for homeless people where they can use that address to claim for benefits. It isnt a shelter or anything it's just a drop in centre food bank type place and there might be one in your town. It's called the umbrella centre I think but it might be something else where you are.

Thanks. He does have a current care of address. It’s only temporary though.
His bank statements are in a previous address that he has no access to.

He needs to change his address with the bank but at the moment getting any funds is a priority

It won't take long for him to change his address with bank and they'll print a new proof of address straight away for him. If that's what it takes to get the funds then that's what he needs to do and use food banks in the meantime until it is approved . Crappy but at least once it is sorted it is sorted.

Care of address is fine. They just need AN address. Bank can print off three months of statements for him in branch too. Sounds like he just needs to go to the bank then pop back into the job centre.

Yes that sounds sensible. He is sofa surfing for a week or two but doesn’t have a fixed address.

The job centre is closed due to Covid.

That's fine because he can change his address later on the system once he gets established. There are homeless charities as well which can help with things like ID if he still needs that. Get him to go to the bank in the morning to get the documents he needs and upload them to UC website if they're asking for them.

It says online he can use anything with national insurance number on to confirm identity. Could he call HMRC and order a replacement national insurance card or ask for a tax document to be sent to the care of address?

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/help-to-claim/

Call CA Help to Claim who will explain how to do the verification in those circumstances.

Thanks everyone this is all very helpful

[quote WorriedNHSer]A citizencard can be used as photo ID for anyone who doesn’t have a drivers license or passport. It’s £15 and like a passport you can prove your identity by getting someone to certify that you are who you say you are if you don’t have any other photo id.

www.citizencard.com/apply-for-a-uk-id-card-online[/quote]
I had one of these in the past and it was next to useless, nowhere recognised it as a form of ID. Things may have changed, but I'd never get one again.