Universal Credit Claim Process

The following process will be available to all Care Leavers.

The Leaving Care Teams

Six months before the care leaver‘s 18^th birthday the Leaving Care Worker will ensure that the care leaver has, or is working towards getting:

• Their National Insurance Number.
• Two forms of identification including photographic ID, this could be a driving licence, birth certificate, a home office resident permit, passport.
• An E Mail address – one for each person on the claim
• A Bank Account.
• A phone number
• A CV and a Universal Jobmatch account
• A current Pathway Plan that includes education, training and employment hopes for the future.
• Written confirmation that the care leaver is estranged and is just leaving care.
• Care leavers in full time education will need a letter from the college confirming course name, start and expected end date and hours of the course.

All of the above will need to be in place by the time the care leaver is 17 years and 11 months.

Care leaver – advanced claim process for Universal Credit Full Service

Care leavers can make an advanced claim to Universal Credit on the Government website up to one month before their 18th birthday. These claims must not be submitted until the claimant’s 18th birthday but can be viewed and checked by the DWP. Care Leaving Team to support Care Leaver to verify their ID if possible.

Local Authority Leaving Care Teams can assist young people to make their claim online and to book appointments.

The Leaving Care Worker will then contact the appropriate Job Centre Plus site contact to arrange the ‘pre-claim’ appointment to:

• confirm the claimant’s identification (Work Coach will access Confirm Identification for Care Leaver Agent Led Process (ALP))
• confirm bank account details (Work Coach will access the Confirm Bank Details for Care Leaver ALP)
• confirm the claimant is a care leaver (for example, written confirmation from the local authority on headed paper or by email, official paper work relating to the claimant being in care) in order to lift the waiting days.
• confirm the housing situation by producing their tenancy agreement, proof of rent paid e.g. bank statement showing payment, and proof of residency e.g. A utility bill.
• book evidence and Claimant Commitment interview (on or as soon as possible after their 18th birthday)

The Work Coach will follow the Instructions for advanced claims Care Leaver (ALP).

Pre-claim interviews for care leavers are booked using the ‘Advance claim for care leaver’ appointment type. (There will not be an account to link it to so you will need to go into booking bug and input the CLs name and ‘advanced care leaver’, into the box the URL number normally goes into).

The care leaver may bring a social worker or support worker with them to this appointment.

The following will also need to be discussed by Work Coach at the pre-claim meeting:

• Universal Credit payments are made in arrears, a calendar month and 7 days from the date of claim.
• Alternative Payment Arrangements – split payments and/or managed payments of rent directly to the landlord.
• Personal Budgeting Support
• Advance Payment application

The Work Coach will book the Initial evidence interview (IEI)/ Claimant Commitment (CC) interview so it is already arranged before the claim is submitted.

On 18^th Birthday

On the 18^th birthday the Care Leaver will log back into their on-line claim and the ‘submit’ button on the on-line claim should be pressed making the date of claim that day.

Once the claim has been made the Care Leaver will get a phone number to phone to arrange an appointment at the JCP. Once this stage is reached the Care Leaver should contact the site SPOC for them to access the account and book the IE/Claimant Commitment interview to the slot already reserved. This must be within 7 days of their 18^th Birthday.

At the interview, the Work Coach to submit application for advance payment if required.

Please note that the CC interview has to be attended and the CC accepted after the interview in order to receive payment.

Contact information

Care Leaver Teams Named Contacts

• North Devon – Ross Carter – Team Manager Permanence and Transition Team – 01392 383000 – ross.carter@devon.gov.uk
• East and Mid Devon –Diane Davies– Team Manager Permanence and Transition Team – 01392 383000 – diane.davies@devon.gov.uk
• Exeter – Shine Sibanda – Team Manager Permanence and Transition Team – 01392 383000 – shine.sibanda@devon.gov.uk
• South Devon – Kate Jones – Team Manager Permanence and Transition team – 01392 383000 – kate.jones@devon.gov.uk

 Jobcentre Plus Named Contacts

Bideford

• Bideford JCP, Northbank House, North Rd, Bideford, EX39 2NR
• Paul Garnsey – 01237 496901 – paul.garnsey@dwp.gov.uk

Barnstaple

• Barnstaple JCP, Princess House, Queen St, Barnstaple, EX32 8HD
• Nicky Turner – 01271 395474 – nicola.turner@dwp.gov.uk

Exeter

• Exeter JCP, Clarendon House, Western Way, Exeter, EX1 2DA
• Rachel Guest – 01392 473909 – guest@dwp.gov.uk

Honiton

• Honiton JCP, 128 High Street Honiton Devon EX14 1JP
• Siobhan Kent – 01404 403201 – Siobhan.kent@dwp.gov.uk

Newton Abbot

• Newton Abbot JCP, Sherbourne House, Kingsteignton Road, TQ12 2PG
• Viv Glanvile – 01626 236309 – Vivian.glanvile@dwp.gov.uk

Tiverton

• Tiverton JCP, Phoenix House, Phoenix Lane, Tiverton EX16 6FF
• Elaine Seatherton – 01884 369737 – seatherton@dwp.gov.uk 

Totnes

• Totnes JCP, 68 New Walk, Totnes TQ9 5WE
• Iris Sumption – 01803 356201 – Iris.sumption@dwp.gov.uk 

Please note that Care Leavers may be interviewed by other Work Coaches.

Addresses

On occasions when claimants send post to Universal Credit Full Service, there are two addresses they need to be aware of.

Signed delivery and Recorded delivery must be addressed to:

• UCFS Post, Canterbury BC, Nutwood House, Chaucer Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1 ZZ

All other post must be addressed to:

• Freepost DWP Universal Credit Full Service

Claimants can also contact the Service Centre by calling 0345 600 4272.