Debtor Application - evidence requirements checklist

• Certificate for Sequestration
• Please provide the latest evidence of payment prior to the application being signed. This can be a letter from DWP or the local authority or a bank statement with the name and address of the debtor or a full Universal Credit (UC) statement.
• If an old award letter is provided (not UC) then a bank statement dated within the last 3 months showing the benefit payments being made together with an outdated benefit award letter would suffice.
• Proof of tenancy (agreement, Housing Benefit award letter, rent statement, UC statement where rent is paid direct to the landlord)
• If car on Motability or HP, please provide agreement
• A valuation for all vehicles not subject to a credit agreement and owned outright by the debtor
• Statements for all bank accounts held by the debtor to verify the balance at the date of signing the application. If unable to provide a statement at the exact date, we can accept a statement as close to the date of signing if the balance is continually low or in overdraft. If at any time during a statement period the balance is near to £1000, verification of the balance at the date of signing will be requested.

Screenshots will only be permitted if the date of balance is shown along with account number, name, and address of the debtor.

Please note that if a debtor has savings totalling more than £1000 over more than one account, the debtor will not meet the MAP criteria.

• Certificate for Sequestration
• the last 3 months or 12 weeks’ payslips if working (when averaging, please add any wages arrestment to the net pay as this will cease when bankruptcy awarded). As a minimum we will accept the latest wage slip prior to the application signing date for monthly or 4 weekly paid debtors, and the last 4 weeks for weekly paid debtors
• self-employed individuals - business accounts or a breakdown of income and business expenditure, for minimum one month period prior to signing of the application (if using a bank statement to verify earnings, please make sure entries are highlighted on the statement)
• if in receipt of a works or private pension, please provide evidence of the payments within the last 3 months (some pension providers do not supply monthly slips, so a bank statement with the debtor’s name and address showing the payments being made within the last 3 months is sufficient.)
• evidence of all essential expenditure (rent, council tax, insurances, gas, electricity, HP, Childcare costs). If providing a bank statement, please highlight each entry on the statement to prevent further enquiries from AiB to you or the debtor
• proof of tenancy (agreement, Housing Benefit award letter, rent statement, UC statement where rent is paid direct to the landlord)
• if car on Motability or HP, please provide agreement
• a valuation for all vehicles not subject to a credit agreement and owned outright by the debtor
• statements for all bank accounts held by the debtor to verify the balance at the date of signing the application. If unable to provide a statement at the exact date, we can accept a statement as close to the date of signing if the balance is continually low or in overdraft. If at any time during a statement period the balance is near to £1000, verification of the balance at the date of signing will be requested

Screenshots will only be permitted if the date of balance is shown along with account number, name, and address of the debtor.

Please note that if a debtor has savings totalling more than £1000 over more than one account, the debtor will not meet the MAP criteria.

• Certificate for Sequestration or an expired Charge for Payment or Statutory Demand
• if in receipt of benefit only income, please provide the latest evidence of payment prior to the application being signed. This can be a letter from DWP or the local authority or a bank statement with the name and address of the debtor or a full UC statement
• if an old award letter is provided (not UC) then a bank statement dated within the last 3 months showing the benefit payments being made together with an outdated benefit award letter would suffice

• Certificate for Sequestration or an expired Charge for Payment or Statutory Demand
• if assessed as having to pay a contribution an application fee is applicable, however, a fee waiver can be applied if the debtor is in receipt of a qualifying benefit. Please provide evidence of the latest payment of benefit prior to the application being signed
• the last 3 months or 12 weeks’ payslips if employed (when averaging the income, please add any wages arrestment to the net pay as this will cease when bankruptcy awarded)
• as a minimum we will accept the latest wage slip prior to the application signing date for monthly or 4 weekly paid debtors, and the last 4 weeks for weekly paid debtors
• self-employed individuals - business accounts or a breakdown of income and business expenditure, for minimum one month period prior to signing of the application (if using a bank statement to verify earnings, please make sure entries are highlighted on the statement)
• if in receipt of a works or private pension, please provide evidence of the payments within the last 3 months (some pension providers do not supply monthly slips, so a bank statement with the debtor’s name and address showing the payments being made within the last 3 months is sufficient.)
• evidence of all essential expenditure (rent, Mortgage, council tax, insurances, gas, electricity, HP, Childcare costs). If providing a bank statement, please highlight each entry on the statement to prevent further enquiries from AiB to you or the debtor

If trigger figures are breached in a MAP or a Full Administration case, with income, an explanation and evidence to corroborate the figure declared on the application is required. If this cannot be provided, the expenditure will be restricted to the maximum amount allowed in accordance with the trigger figure levels set by Money Advice Trust.

• certified copy of debtor’s death certificate
• copy of debtor’s will nominating executor or evidence to show applicant is a person entitled to be appointed as deceased debtor’s executor
• proof of debt
• statement of assets and liabilities where appropriate
• an application fee is applicable

Gas and electricity

No evidence is required if total utility expenses are £160 or less per month per household.

If total utility expense exceeds £160 per month per household, evidence must be provided and can be in the form of:

• a bank statement (please highlight the amount and note as utility costs)
• an estimated annual usage statement
• pre-payment receipts if legible and verify payments for at least 1 month prior to the application being signed
• pre-payment meter verification of payments made from the energy supplier for at least 1 month prior to the application being signed

If no evidence provided to verify expenditure higher than £160 per month per household, it may be capped to £160.

Whilst the energy market is volatile, the ongoing costs of fuel and the maximum household threshold (without evidence) will be reviewed regularly with changes made as appropriate.

Evidence of payment of Council Tax

• full annual Council Tax bill. The full bill is required to verify if Council Tax Reduction is in place, which provides eligibility for the application fee waiver
• bank statements to verify Council Tax is being paid
• correspondence from the Local Authority verifying payment

Screenshots or extracts from the Scottish Assessors website are not acceptable in evidencing the payment of Council Tax.

Cost of Living Payments 2023-2024

• payments amounting to £900 will be paid to debtors in receipt income related DWP benefits and Child Tax credits. They will be paid over 3 payments in Spring, Autumn 2023, and Spring 2024. The first of these is due between 25th April and 17th May 2023. The second payment will be made after 31st October with an eligibility period of 18th August 2023 to 17th September 2023
• £150 will be paid to those in receipt of PIP or CDP and ADP in Scotland. This will be one payment paid in the Summer of 2023
• pensioners will be paid between £150 and £300 depending on the makeup of the household and paid at the same time as the Winter Fuel Payment
• these are annual payments and MUST be entered in the CFT if any or all scenarios apply
• the £900 payment will be attributed to all cases submitted after 25th April 2023 where an income related benefit is in payment

From 30 April 2024, we will no longer include cost of living payments in the income section of applications. All applications submitted prior to this date will still have the cost-of-living payments included as income.

Car Valuations

If a vehicle is valued over £3000, the criteria for MAP will not be met. We will accept the following evidence which verifies the trade or private sale value of any vehicle (whichever is higher will be used):

• an online valuation from Mycarcheck, Parkers, Autotrader etc.
• a written valuation from a car dealership if it has been provided on headed paper

A valuation is required on all MAP applications where a vehicle is owned outright by the debtor, this has been added to the list of evidence required in a MAP case.

We will not accept the following valuations:

• Webuyanycar, Arnold Clark, Motorway or any company that provides quick access to cash from the sale of any vehicle