Verification in prisoners’ cases

Resources of spouses and partners have to be taken into account when assessing financial eligibility, except where:

  • There is a contrary interest with the spouse or partner
  • The parties are living separate and apart
  • In all the circumstances of the case, it would be inequitable or impractical to do so.

The parties are not automatically “living separate and apart” for the purposes of financial assessment just because your client is in prison.  For the spouse or partner’s financial resources to be disregarded the marriage or relationship must be at an end.

Therefore, you need to satisfy yourself on the financial resources of a prisoner’s spouse or partner and to obtain the verification described in this guidance unless one of the above exceptions apply.

Cases where no documentary evidence of eligibility is immediately available
What period should documentary evidence cover?

In this section

Verification of financial eligibility for children’s advice and assistance and ABWOR

The purpose of verification of financial eligibility

Find out about your obligation to obtain adequate verification of your client’s financial eligibility, and your client’s related responsibilities.

Verification of financial eligibility for children’s advice and assistance and ABWOR

Capital eligibility: must be checked even if your client is receiving a passported benefit

Read about why you should verify your client’s capital, even if they receive a passported benefit, as well as the types of documentary evidence required.

Verification of financial eligibility for children’s advice and assistance and ABWOR

Client’s eligibility on income

This page covers how you should go about verifying that your client is eligible to receive children’s A&A or ABWOR based on the income they receive. It covers the kind of evidence you should see from employed clients; self-employed clients; and clients in receipt of benefits. It also sets out what you should do in cases where your client declared they have no source of income.

Verification of financial eligibility for children’s advice and assistance and ABWOR

Cases where no documentary evidence of eligibility is immediately available

Find out what you can do in cases where documentary evidence of financial eligibility is not immediately available, including a number of examples.

Verification of financial eligibility for children’s advice and assistance and ABWOR

What period should documentary evidence cover?

Read about the period of time which documentary evidence on client financial eligibility should relate to and satisfying yourself as to on-going eligibility.