Universal Credit - no ID

Hoping for some tips on how to deal with a case.

I’m assisting one of our tenants to set up a UC claim for his adult son who lives with him.  His son has never worked and doesn’t go out of the house.  Doesn’t know his national insurance number, has a PAYG phone, no bank account or bills in his name and a passport that’s 9 years expired.  No photo or other ID.

The DWP have contacted them to start the verification process but I’m really not sure we’ll be able to do this.  I’ve seen somewhere online that the DWP can help to pay to obtain photo ID - does anyone have any experience of this?

The only way I can think to proceed is to try to get the son a new passport based upon a ‘renewal’ of the long-expired one.

Any thoughts?  We’ve chosen to make an online application for UC because he has some digital skills and doesn’t like speaking to people on the phone.

Is this immigration related?

If not,
Is there a birth certificate?

Can’t say I’ve ever had any issue making a UC claim in this situation. The main issue is usually getting a bank account sorted.

Thanks for the reply.

Thankfully not immigration-related.  As far as I know he doesn’t have a copy of his birth certificate but we can probably get one ordered - was thinking too hard about photo ID I think.  We’ve requested benefit paid into his dad’s account for now.

Mairi

Hi Mairi

See the UC guidance on ID verification, here: http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2016-0778/Identity_verification_and_standards_of_evidence_v4.0.pdf

This gives a long list of secondary ID, plus also explains the process of using the ‘biographical test’ if there is no ID.

Is this for someone in Edinburgh or West Lothian?

Cheers Sean.

Edinburgh.  Literally only has expired passport (expired 9 years ago when he was a teenager).

Mairi