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Photo ID requirement?
Are job centres insisting on UC claimants producing photo ID?
And if so, what happens to potential claimants who don’t have photo ID?
I was told at a training course last week that photo ID is included in the documents that UC claimants have to bring with them to their JC interview.
http://about.universalcredit.service.gov.uk/kms/Documents/What you need to provide evidence of.pdf
Forgive me if you’ve seen this before, but it’s the ‘evidence list’ for UC. I suspect it’s going to cause problems but I don’t know as yet how it is working out. Only part of our area has just gone in to single-person ‘gateway’ UC so others may have better answers.
Just been told of a case (not UC) in which claimant’s photo-Id and other supporting ID was rejected by JC+ staff member - who knew who the claimant was already. Joyous stuff.
{{{sigh}}} Why doesn’t that surprise me?
Did he have to claim JC instead? Or is he just a non-person now?
A colleague is taking this one up so i’m not sure where things are going. I’ll post any more interesting shenanigans.
I posted this elsewhere but will put again here. FOI request on this elicited following response:
“In circumstances where UC claimants cannot produce sufficient or original identity documents
their identity can still be verified and a decision made on the information provided. We will
consider the documentation the claimant does have, and whether the explanation given for not
being able to provide any of the documents listed in the guidance is considered to be
reasonable in the circumstances (for example, fled due to domestic violence or documents
destroyed by fire). These circumstances should not be confused with those where the
customer has simply forgotten to provide documentation, which they are able to obtain and
provide later. The requirement to provide documentation will not be waived where it is known
that it can be provided. In addition biographical security questions and/or checks will be used
where there is no documentation and the claimant cannot obtain it.”
Which strongly suggests that if client does not have the ID and its not reasonable for them to obtain it verification can be done a different way.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/photo_id_for_universal_credit#incoming-638477
At operational stakeholders today they said if a claimant cannot provide the ID on the list they can ask for biographical details to verify on CIS - I’d be interested to know if there are any problems with this.
Further to above have now had email from universal credit which says -
Ideally, we require three pieces of ID. One primary which, for a UK national, means a passport or photo driving licence (full or provisional; doesn’t matter). And two forms of secondary such as bank statements, tenancy agreement, gas bill.
But we have had some people who did not have these. In these cases, we ask biographical questions based on CIS to authenticate that they are the human being referenced on the CIS record.
All this is based on guidance in the Common Standards for Identity Verification
Human being - as opposed to, er, what….?
Bloody Martians, coming here, claiming our benefits…
PS - ‘Referenced’???????
The English language howls in renewed pain….
Hurts doesn’t it?
Incidentally- who makes the ‘human being’ judgement call? And is there a right of appeal if client in question is deemed not to be a human being?
And is there a right of appeal if client in question is deemed not to be a human being?
Oh yes, there is, it’s a breach of your human rights under the Human Rights Act if a public authority does that.
Oh no, it’s being scrapped, isn’t it?
Oh my, a human being, deemed not human, and has no rights….............