IS20 - A guide to Income Support

Making a claim

Payment direct into an account

If you have an account but you do not wish to use it, for example a joint account, any bank or building society will help you open an account that suits you better. Remember to ask whether their accounts allow you to get your money from the Post Office®, if this is important to you.

Basic bank account: If you have had problems opening a current account, or if you are worried about being overdrawn, you could ask any bank or building society about opening a basic bank account. These are available from all major banks and offer free banking with no overdraft facility. You can use these accounts to pay money in, pay bills automatically, and get cash out. Many basic bank accounts also allow you to get cash from post offices.

Other accounts: Alternatively, you can be paid into some Credit Union accounts or a Post Office® card account. These accounts may have restrictions on the services provided. 

Cheque
If you are paid by cheque and the cheque is not crossed, it can be cashed at a post office. You may be asked to provide proof of identity when you cash it. This could be a full driving licence, passport, birth or marriage certificate, council rent book, cheque book, credit card or a savings bank book. If the cheque is for £450 or more it will be crossed, and can only be paid into a bank, National Savings or building society account. Cheques have to be cashed within one month of the date printed on the front.

Lost cheques
When a cheque payment which has been sent to you is lost, stolen, accidentally destroyed or not received, the Jobcentre Plus office or social security office should be told immediately. The full investigation into what has happened to the cheque payment, for example checking whether it has been cashed, may take several weeks. However, in some cases it is possible to consider issuing a replacement immediately. If your Jobcentre Plus office or social security office cannot replace your cheque payment straight away, you may be able to get a Crisis Loan to tide you over until your next payment.

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