An inspectorate of the Department for Work and Pensions.

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Appendix C: Claim form

Introduction

Claim forms are a vital tool in helping to get and keep claims right. HB regulation 72(9) states that a claim is properly completed if it is completed in accordance with the instructions on the form. It is therefore important that a claim form asks for all the information needed to determine the claim. Similar provisions exist in the CTB Regulations.

The BFI Good Practice Guide outlines the elements of an effective claim form. In addition, VF specifies the minimum amount of information to be collected on the claim form, together with the minimum verification that is required to support that information. Claim forms should be designed to ensure that they collect all the information specified in VF.

Lambeth uses 4 forms for initial claims for HB and CTB. We reviewed the private tenant claim form.

Conclusions

Overall we consider that the HB and CTB private tenant claim form used by Lambeth is poorly designed and poorly written. We consider that the form could be improved to ensure that it complies with VF and by making some specific language used clearer. Our suggestions on where improvements can be made are in Figure C.1.

Fig. C.1: Lambeth HB and CTB private tenant claim form analysis
Characteristic Attribute present? BFI comment
BFI Good Practice Guide requirements
Single combined HB and CTB claim form. 6 Lambeth uses 4 claim forms for different types of tenants.
Clear layout, using a grid pattern and white space effectively 6 Page 7 has no pattern to where the answer boxes are put. This sort of random approach can confuse people, and it is easy to miss questions.

The form uses a tabular format for some answer spaces. Although this is a common practice, we do not recommend this approach. Information designers suggest that a tinted background with questions set to the left of the page, and white-out answer boxes set to the right of the questions, using an underlying formal grid pattern, is an effective way of gathering information through a form. This layout is now a convention understood by most people.
No/Yes navigation questions set vertically rather than horizontally putting the routeing instructions next to the relevant box and avoiding conditional statements. 4 The form has:
  • ·brief translations in 9 other languages of where to get help filling in the form
  • a phone number to contact for claimants who need help completing the form.

 
Plain English, no jargon. 6 Block capitals are often used in the form, particularly for section headings. Research has shown that people find it very difficult to read block capitals because there are no ascenders or descenders to distinguish the letters. Consequently people tend to scan over block capitals, rather than reading them as words. The best way to emphasise words is to use bold.

We do not recommend indicating plural options by a bracketed s as in name(s), and floor(s). This is difficult for poor readers who do not understand how singular and plural forms can both apply. We recommend that a singular form is used, which always implies that the question requires answers to a plural option when this is appropriate.
Plain English, no jargon 6 Benefit names are wrongly spelt or still used when they have been replaced by a new benefit. For example, Jobseeker's Allowance is incorrectly spelt as Job seekers allowance. The benefits listed in Part 9 and throughout the form are spelt with lower case letters. This is incorrect. Family Credit and Disability Working Allowance have both been replaced by Working Families’ Tax Credit and Disabled Person’s Tax Credit.
Explanation of what happens when the LA receives the form. 6 There is no advice given on the time it will take to process the claim.
Details of changes of circumstances that must be reported. 4 Section 16 (Payment of HB) includes a paragraph setting out the procedure to follow (examples are given) when a change of circumstance occurs. There is scope to highlight this instruction more clearly, for example, it could form its own section.
Each update of the form is readily identifiable. This will help to ensure that only current versions of the form are used. It will also help in any claims for backdating. 4 Month and year included on front cover.
Clear instructions on how to fill in the form and where to go for help. 4 Guidance included in notes on front page.
An explanation that delays in returning the form could result in reductions to benefit. 4 Guidance included in notes on front page.
Completion boxes that require the claimant to make a conscious decision, for example Yes or No boxes. 6 More use could be made of Yes or No boxes throughout the form. For example, in Part 1 Do you pay rent to a private landlord? And Do you own your own home? And in Part 9, Are you on a government training scheme?
The claim form should ask about entry to in the common travel area within the last 5 years and not just coming to live in the United Kingdom. 6 The form asks about entry to the United Kingdom in the last 5 years not, the common travel area.
An explanation of payment choices and the validation the claimant will be required to produce. For example, a bank statement showing the claimant’s current address is essential for payment by credit transfer through BACS. 6 The form does not inform the claimant to provide validation of a bank or building society account
Specific spaces for claimants to provide further relevant information if they need to. 4 Parts14 and 15 of the form are for use for the claimant to provide extra information relating to request backdating and extra help for example, health matters.
Clear statements of the claimant’s obligations and duties. 4 The claimant’s right of appeal is included in a page of general information.
Statement as to potential use to which information supplied might be put for example protecting public funds. 4 The LA’s potential use of the information provided is included in the page of general information.
Place for the claimant and their partner (if appropriate) to sign and date. 6 There is no space for the claimant’s partner to sign and date the form.
Place for the claimant’s partner (if appropriate) to sign and date. 6 The declaration has no space for a partner’s signature. This is a serious error and should be corrected immediately.
Place for anyone else who filled in the form to sign and date. 4  
April 2000 VF requirements
Identity

The form must collect:

    
  • claimant and partner's full name, together with any former names or "known as" names.
 6 Claimant and partner’s full names are collected but the form does not ask for any "known as" or previous names.
  • Claimant and partner's date of birth.
 4  
  • NINO for the claimant and partner (or sufficient information for one to be traced or allocated).
 6 There is no guidance notes to explain what evidence is needed to trace or allocate a NINO.
Residency and rent

For all tenancies: 

    
  • the date the claimant moved into the dwelling and the date the tenancy commenced. The exact dates should be asked for in the case of new claims and new tenancies. However, for long-standing tenancies the approximate date would suffice
 6 Date the claimant moved in is not included.
  • details of their previous address and their status at that address (for example, owner, tenant or living with friends), together with details of any previous claim for HB and CTB. This information could also identify the possibility of undisclosed capital in the form of property owned by the claimant or their family.
 6 Information on previous address only requested. The periods of previous claims for HB and CTB are not collected and the form does not ask for the claimant’s status at the previous address.
For private tenancies only (including registered social landlords):    
  • the landlord’s name, business address and relationship, if any, to the claimant. This should include relationships by marriage and parentage of any children in the household. Where there is an agent acting for the landlord, the agent’s name, business address and relationship, if any, to the claimant are required, together with the landlord’s details
 6 There are no questions about any relationships the claimant may have by marriage and parentage of any children in the household. In agent cases. There are no questions about any relationship, including by marriage, the claimant may have with the agent.
  • type of tenancy (for example, assured short-hold etc) together with period of tenancy and details of any rent registration
 4  
  • details of other joint tenants (if any) and claimant’s share of rent
 6 Details of claimant’s share of rent not included.
  • the amount of rent, how often it is payable, and to whom
 4  
  • details of what is provided under the agreement, together with details of the amounts charged (for example fuel, water, meals and other support services, in particular, personal care, general counselling and support, cleaning of rooms and windows, and emergency alarms)
 4  
  • details of the make up of the dwelling, including shared areas (for example, house, flat, room, number of rooms, furnished, unfurnished).
 4  
Household composition

The form must collect:

    
  • full names of everyone living in both the claimant’s household and the dwelling
 6 However, the names of all the other people sharing the property are not included.
  • children’s dates of birth
 4  
  • details of all those named, including relationship to claimant and where appropriate to each other (clear definitions of dependants, non-householders, boarders, sub-tenants and joint tenants should be given on the form). Relationship includes family, friends, and "unrelated" people
 4  
  • details of non-dependants' gross income. Proof is required for low earnings before the lower deductions can be made.
 4  
Earned income

The form must collect:

    
  • details of the claimant’s/partner’s main employer, the date the claimant/partner started work and the number of hours worked
 4  
  • if the claimant/partner does any other work, details of the employer, the date the claimant/partner started work and the number of hours worked. (As some people have more than one job, or employer, the claim form must provide an opportunity to declare all the work done and pay received. The form must prompt the claimant to declare all their earned income)
 6 There is no space for the claimant to enter the name and address of additional employers for claimant or partner.
  • the full name and address of each employer
 6  
  • whether the employment is for a fixed period. If so the date on which it will cease. (Consideration should be given to restricting the benefit period to the period of employment)
 6 There is no space for the claimant to enter the date of cessation of employment.
  • the amount and frequency of earnings (for example, weekly, fortnightly, calendar monthly) together with details of all bonuses, overtime, commission or tips the claimant/partner receives
 6 There is no space for the claimant to enter details of any bonuses, overtime, commission or tips the claimant/partner receives.
  • method of payment (for example, cash, cheque, ACT)
 6 Payment method not requested.
  • request for evidence of earnings. State that if the evidence requested is not provided, the LA may contact the employer to confirm the details
 6 Form provides an employer’s certificate for claimant to forward to employer. We do not recommend the use of "Certificate of earnings" forms being sent by the claimant to the employer. This can encourage collusion. If it is necessary to confirm earnings it should be done directly between the LA and the employer.
  • If known, the date of the next expected increase in pay. (This information can be used when deciding on the length of benefit periods)
 6 Information not requested.
  • the type of work the claimant/partner does for the employer. (This will help Benefits assessment staff to determine whether the declared earnings – hours worked for example – are consistent with the type of work stated)
 4  
  • claimant/ partner's employee number or payroll-number
 6 Information not requested.
  • details of any deductions from the gross pay for private pension scheme, superannuation or employee contribution to company pension scheme
 4  
  • details of any Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Sick Pay included in the gross pay
 4  
  • details of any expenses for child minding. (The name of the registered childminder must be cross-checked with the LA’s records).
 4  
Self employed earned income

Although the LA needs all the information listed here, it need not be requested on the main claim form. Instead, the LA can use a supplementary claim form. This can be combined with the Self-employed earnings information sheet.

The form must collect:

    
  • if the claimant/partner is self-employed, details of the business and the type of work undertaken (for example, window cleaner, taxi driver)
 4  
  • whether self-employment is the claimant’s/ partner’s only employment. (It is possible for a person to be both self-employed and an employee)
 6  
  • whether the claimant/partner are sole traders or partners in the business. If they are partners, details of the partnership and their share in the business
 6  
  • details of any government business allowances or grants
 6  
  • details of income. (Where the claimant cannot produce audited accounts, they must complete a self-employed earnings certificate)
 6  
  • the name and address of the business.
 4  
Benefit income

The form must collect:

    
  • details of all benefits in payment to the claimant/partner or their dependants. The form must have a box for each individual benefit and the name of the person to whom it is payable
 4  
  • the gross amount of benefit in payment. (It is possible for deductions to be made from many benefits to recover overpayments etc. The LA must ensure that it uses the gross figure)
 6  
  • the frequency of payment for each of the benefits (for example, weekly, 4-weekly, annually)
 6  
  • the method of payment for each of the benefits (for example, order book, Giro, direct to bank/building society)
 6  
  • details of any benefits, which have been claimed but not yet received.
 6  
Other income

The form must collect:

    
  • details of all other income received by the claimant/partner or their dependants. The claim form should advise the claimant that certain types of income attract a disregard, although it does not need to give specific details. It might also note that payments received from The Eileen Trust, The Independent Living Fund or The Macfarlane Trust need not be declared
 6  
  • the different types of income (for example, maintenance payments, private pension, occupational pension, annuity, student grant)
 4  
  • how much and how frequently the income is received
 4  
  • where the income is subject to regular increases, the date the next increase is due
 6  
  • the date the income has been paid from
 6  
  • details of all income applied for by, or due to, the claimant/partner or their dependants but not yet received (for example, maintenance, and payments from health insurance).
 6  
Capital

The form must collect:

    
  • details of all the capital held by the claimant/partner or their dependants. The form should provide prompts for different types of capital (for example, "do you have any bank accounts? If yes, what type of accounts and how much is in each account?" "Do you own any land or property, either in this country or abroad, other than the dwelling in which you are living?"). The form must give clear definitions of what is regarded as capital
 6 The information contained on the form does not contain an explanation of the types of capital. There is no mention of a current account. The definitions used could be made clearer and more obvious to the reader.
  • the form must give details of the evidence required for each type of capital (for example statements, savings book, certificates).
 6 The form asks for copies of evidence, for example, in Part 9, the claimant is asked to provide a copy of the first three pages of the benefit book.

Source: VF guidance, BFI’s Good Practice Guide and BFI analysis

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