Criminal: If your client has no bank account

Similarly, if your client tells you that they don’t have a bank account, you should ask them how they receive any wages or benefits payments they may receive.

If you are happy with the explanation you receive, you should record this as a note in your file. You should select ‘Other’ from the capital verification options and then provide information about how you satisfied yourself that your client does not have a bank account or any capital.

Relying on the Signed Declaration as Verification that an Applicant has No Capital

If your client tells you that they have no capital or savings and subsequently signs the declaration, you can use the signed declaration to verify that the applicant has no capital.

However, you can only state that you are relying on the signed declaration if your client has, in fact, signed the declaration.

If verification of capital is not available at the initial meeting, you should try to get this later.

You can then update us on what evidence you have seen, or in cases where you have been unable to obtain verification, the steps you have taken to obtain this by submitting a verification update.

Where your client has no capital, and you do not have a signed declaration, how you complete the online application will depend on whether she/he has a bank account.

Where there is a bank account, you should normally see a bank statement for the qualifying period to verify the capital position.

However, the following guidance should help you answer the online questions and submit the application where you have not seen verification, and you do not have a signed declaration.

No capital, and no signed declaration, applicant has a bank account

I have seen the most recent evidence of the applicant’s capital – No

Awaiting Verification? Yes – submit the application and advise us later when verification is seen.

Awaiting Verification? No – add free text to explain why applicant cannot provide any verification. For example, if the client is in custody or in hospital, or you can explain the steps you have taken to get verification.

No Capital, and no signed declaration, applicant has no bank account

I have seen the most recent evidence of the applicant’s capital – No

Awaiting Verification? No – add free text to explain that the applicant has no bank account.