Have to verify my identity for UC at Job Centre

ma133
ma133 Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)

I did not receive my UC payment today and was told on the UC website journal that I recently changed my name (which I haven't) and have to take my birth certificate into my local Job Centre to release the hold on the payment. But I can't easily find my birth certificate and only have a photo scan on my phone, I called the UC helpline and was told they might accept that but I am worried.

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Comments

  • SheffieldMan1976
    SheffieldMan1976 Posts: 3,465 Connected

    @ma133 Unfortunately they'll want the original and not a copy, your best bet would be to contact your local registrar of births, deaths and marriages to see if they still have you on file.

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 4,454 Online Community Team

    Hi @ma133 and welcome to the community. Sorry you're having to deal with this. It's strange that they've said you've changed your name and it seems unfair for them to hold your payment. Do you have a driving licence or passport? They would typically accept those as ID but I'm not sure if they're specifically asking for your birth certificate to prove you have never changed your name.

    Hopefully they will accept the scan as the helpline said. It seems to be more common nowadays.

  • ma133
    ma133 Community Member Posts: 3 Listener

    I don't have a currently valid passport or driving license

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 4,454 Online Community Team

    Ok, I'm sure that they'll accept some form of ID as you're already a claimant and it seems to be an error. Is there no way to get your birth certificate?

  • ma133
    ma133 Community Member Posts: 3 Listener

    I might have to order another online but it costs too much at moment the original is aldo lost at the moment

  • Rag_793
    Rag_793 Community Member Posts: 353 Empowering

    your probably best contacting the registrar in the town or city where you was born. When I needed mine I had to contact Lambeth council about it, even though I was raised in Oldham like all of my family. My Sister was the other exception as she was born in Munster Germany.

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 4,454 Online Community Team

    Here's the link to order one online @ma133. https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate It costs £12.50 and takes 4 days to arrive.

    Are you able to go to the job centre with your phone scan and see if they'll accept it? I completely understand if you're not able, especially if they could possibly turn you away.

  • SheffieldMan1976
    SheffieldMan1976 Posts: 3,465 Connected
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1144206#Comment_1144206

    They probably would turn the OP away, I've never had this particular problem but back when I was on the Dole in 1998-9, the amount of fannying about from Job Centre Plus was ridiculous! I freely admit I have almost no patience, but to turn up to a myriad of alleged "interviews", most of which were the other end of Town, to be told the jobs had already gone to some 16 year old barely out of school…

    The final straw was going for one at a Taxi Office in Firth Park, I got there, wearing a shirt and tie and everything, and there was said 16 year old doing what would've been MY job!

    Naturally I went Ape and went straight down the Job Centre and told them to stick the poxy £35 a week Dole money up their you know what, sideways.

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 4,454 Online Community Team

    Things have changed quite a lot since then @SheffieldMan1976 and I know scans of documents are more accepted now. It's promising that the helpline said they might accept it but yeah it's still a risk.

  • SwiftFox
    SwiftFox Community Member Posts: 1,503 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1144302#Comment_1144302

    It does state to ask the job centre you are attending, if they’ll accept copies. Some will and some won’t.

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