UC for street homeless

Hello,

Client is street homeless. Leaving a temporary accommodation today (not sure where to). No income. No bank account. No ID. Possible post office account but does not know details. No computer or phone. No knowledge on how to use a computer (so library not an option).

Is this gentleman’s best course of action to attend a JC to try and start a claim? If so can he just go to any? Or maybe the one closest to his last address? Can he choose to go to a non UC job centre and claim ESA?

I have read the UC can pay in to a post office account if the claimant has no other option so that’s one avenue at least. However if he does not have a post office account then is there any other option?

He has no ID or documentation that I know of, any way round this for UC? Can he use the JC as an address?

Thanks

EDIT: after a bit more reading I see he could possibly go through the Payment Exception Service and get a card (lack of ID still possible an issue). Also seems he can use pretty much anywhere as an address in theory. So guess he should just head to a JC?

Our charity works with street homeless clients so we have experience of this. It is possible for a street homeless person to claim UC however staff here have found it very problematic.

To address your questions:
-  your client can attend a jobcentre to make a claim, in fact they will need to if they are unable to enter any bank details into the online claim.  Your client should be able to just turn up at a jobcentre to do this, they may be given an appointment to come back at another time depending on staff availability.
-  as your client is unable to make the claim themselves they should receive help making this claim if they are unable to use a computer themselves, although there has been talk of jobcentres struggling/reluctant to provide this support due to volume of claimants.
- The DWP do not like to pay UC into anything other than a bank account but they can make a payment into a post office card account and they can also make a payment via the payment exception service which replaced simple payments. It can be very difficult to persuade them to pay without any account though . 
-You will find the lack of any ID problematic, there will need to be some means of verifying who the claimant is so this will need to be explored with them to see what they can come up with/can be helped to obtain.
- The client will find it difficult to maintain their claim, they will need to access their online account frequently so how and where the client does this will need to be discussed with them.  Some jobcentres have been providing support to vulnerable clients but I believe its hit and miss and I believe there is a real gap in support for vulnerable claimants generally.
- The DWP are likely to push for the client to open a bank account as soon as possible,  our teams are struggling to get banks to open bank accounts for claimants.
You might need to contact the DWP partnership manager/vulnerable claimant Manager for the area the client will be claiming to make sure the client gets the support they need.

Thanks very much CHC, really helpful advice. They can go to any job centre then pretty much? Just pick the most convenient one to get to I guess

I am doing some UC training for an organisation that supports street homeless and visited my local JCP last week to talk specifically about the problems this client group may have claiming UC
things I learnt..
if claimant does not have id this “shouldn’t be a problem” the WC can ask 2 or 3 ‘bio questions’ which are generated by the Service Centre. These are simple questions such as what benefits you receive/d, previous address.  Evidently they can also pay for someone to get a driving licence should this be necessary

Every time claimant attends interview at JCP they will need to show id such as a bank card but can be asked simple questions if they do not have

As CHC says claimants are pushed to open a bank account if they have a PO account.  I was told if there is a problem opening a basic bank account then JCP can complete a form for client to take to bank (Nat West or Nationwide the best) and the bank should accept this as id.  Never heard of this before…but allegedly it works

Based on our experience clients do not always get the support they need to make digital claim and maintain online but according to JCP support will be provided when using computers in Job Centre if dropping in

I am somewhat sceptical there will be a difference between the theory and the practice.  I will ask the outreach workers to keep me up to date with their client’s experiences as UC rolls out

they pay for a provisional driving licence out of the ‘flexible support fund’ just in case some work coaches don’t know what you’re talking about.

Brilliant, thanks Maggie and Zoey!

Justin Tomlinson, Minister for Family Support, Employment and Child Maintenance, writes about how easy it is for homeless people to claim UC.

The government is supporting homeless people to claim Universal Credit