× Search rightsnet
Search options

Where

Benefit

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction

From

to

Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Residence issues  →  Thread

Home Office has passport - UC cannot proceed

Madamejones
forum member

Benefits Take Up officer - Cheltenham Borough Council, Gloucestershire

Send message

Total Posts: 44

Joined: 17 June 2010

Complicated situation so just touching on the fact that passport is with the Home Office, £600 fee has been paid for the visa application. UC need the passport for ID and won’t accept anything else. Home Office has said that application could be cancelled (£600 wasted) to get passport back but other than this they could have the passport for 6 months.

Is there any mechanism at all where Government departments can ‘talk’ to each other??? i.e HO confirm/share info regarding the passport!

Meanwhile the family have child benefit only as income and are at threat of eviction.

[ Edited: 9 Aug 2019 at 10:47 am by Madamejones ]
CHAC Adviser
forum member

Caseworker - CHAC, Middlesbrough

Send message

Total Posts: 259

Joined: 14 September 2017

But DWP don’t need to use a passport for ID purposes!

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/782994/Acceptable_I.D.pdf

I’d suggest raising this with your local partnership manager if you know their details otherwise a complaint to the DWP.

Philippa D
forum member

Weymouth & Portland Citizens Advice

Send message

Total Posts: 123

Joined: 2 January 2018

I encountered this situation and unfortunately was not able to find a way to get government departments to talk to each other. If the client has other ID documents or can answer biographical questions then they can verify that way, but if there really is no alternative to the passport then you will may need to ask the Home Office to provide the client with a certified copy. JCP will accept certified copies. Make sure JCP and case manager are aware of the situation and get them to keep the claim open pending the certified copy arriving as it will take longer than a month (it took over 2 mths in the case I encountered).

It doesn’t solve the immediate problem of the client being without money but it’s quicker than waiting for the Home Office to finish processing and if UC can keep the claim open then at least they will get paid from the start of the claim once verification is complete.

[ Edited: 9 Aug 2019 at 02:21 pm by Philippa D ]
Madamejones
forum member

Benefits Take Up officer - Cheltenham Borough Council, Gloucestershire

Send message

Total Posts: 44

Joined: 17 June 2010

Thanks all,

It is a couple claim so it is Mr who has the impending HRT etc in order to be added to the claim but they have stopped paying Mrs (they got married)

Will try both routes.

Dan_Manville
forum member

Mental health & welfare rights service - Wolverhampton City Council

Send message

Total Posts: 2262

Joined: 15 October 2012

Might be useful to add that reg 37 UC etc (C&P) regs holds that thge Sec State can demand whatever evidence she thinks is appropriate; it’s a very broad discretion on their part.

I’ve struggled to persuade them to bend it in a claimant’s favour though.