Going into Custody?

Standard Letters

You may find the following letters useful when writing to Jobcentre Plus, the social security office, housing benefit office, your landlord or building society, and/or council tax office.

You may need to adapt these letters for your own particular circumstances but as a rough guide, these outline the information which you will need to provide as a minimum.

• Standard Letter 1 - Letter to the Landlord
• Standard Letter 2 - Letter Requesting Council Tax Exemption/Discount Benefit
• Standard Letter 3 - Letter to request/accompany Housing Benefit Form
• Standard Letter 4 - Claim for Income Support Housing Costs from the Jobcentre Plus/Social Security Office
• Standard Letter 5 - Letter to Building Society Requesting Interest Only Payment until Sentence or Release

Standard Letter 1 - Letter to the Landlord

Date:

To:
Address:

Dear Sir/Madam

Full Name:
Prison Number:
Prison Address:
Home Address:

I am writing to inform you that I am [currently in prison on remand] / [serving a sentence] * from which I expect to be released on:

My tenancy is therefore temporarily unoccupied, but I am planning to resume occupation on my release.

The keys are held by:

Name:
Address:

Who has agreed to look after the property until my release.

I have applied for housing benefit to cover the rent during my absence, and have asked that payment be made direct to you. Please let me know if there are any problems.

Thank you for your attention.

Yours faithfully,

(Signature)

*delete as applicable

Standard Letter 2 - Letter Requesting Council Tax Exemption/Discount Benefit

• Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, Article 3, Class D. Local Government Finance Act 1992, Schedule 1;
• Council Tax Benefit (General) Regulations 1992; Council Tax Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 1995

Date:

To: Council Tax Office
Address:

Dear Sir/Madam

Council Tax Liability: Change of Circumstances
Full Name:
Prison Number:
Prison Address:
Home Address:

I normally live at the address shown above. I am currently in prison and would be grateful if you could let me know how this affects my liability for council tax.

I was received into custody on:

My expected release date is:

* I am currently held on remand

My home will be empty while I am in prison.

* I share my home with the following adults:

* If I am still liable to pay council tax for the period of my custody I would like to claim council tax benefit. Please arrange for a council tax benefit form to be sent to me.

* I have paid council tax in advance for my home address, and if my liability has not changed I would like to claim a refund.

Yours faithfully,

(Signature)

* delete as appropriate

Standard Letter 3 - Letter to request/accompany Housing Benefit Form

• Claim for rent: HB Regs 1987, 5(8), HB Reg 94, SI No 625 HB (Amendments) Refs 1995

Date:

To: Housing Department
Address:

Dear Sir/Madam

Full Name:
Prison Number:
Prison Address:
Home Address:

I am [a tenant] / [hostel resident] * at the above address. I [enclose] / [please send me] * a housing benefit application form to claim payment of rent.

I was received into custody on:

Please backdate my claim if necessary. My expected date of release is:

I am currently held on remand *

I hereby authorise you to make payments direct to my landlord whose name and address are given below:

Name:
Address:

Thank you for your attention.

Yours faithfully,

(Signature)

* delete as applicable

Standard Letter 4 - Claim for Income Support Housing Costs from the Jobcentre Plus/Social Security Office

• Entitlement: Unconvicted prisoners
• Income Support (General) Regulations: Schedule 7, paragraph 8; Reg 17(e) and schedule 3

Date:

To: Manager, Jobcentre Plus/Social Security Office*
Address:

Dear Sir/Madam

Full Name:
Prison Number:
Prison Address:
Home Address:

I am the owner-occupier of the above address. I was received into custody on remand on:
and I wish to apply for income support for the following costs:

Mortgage interest:              weekly/fortnightly/monthly

Ground rent:              weekly/fortnightly/monthly

Service charges:              weekly/fortnightly/monthly

Repayments on repair loans:              weekly/fortnightly/monthly

* I am an existing claimant and last signed for benefit on:

Please make arrangements for my entitlement to be paid direct to my building society or bank, whose name and address are given below:

Bank/Building Society Name:
Address:

I will notify you as soon as the outcome of my trial is known. I understand that if I am convicted I will no longer be eligible for help in meeting the above housing costs.

Yours faithfully,

(Signature)

* delete as applicable

Standard Letter 5 - Letter to Building Society Requesting Interest Only Payment until Sentence or Release

Date:

To: (Building society or bank name)
Address:

Dear Sir/Madam

Full Name:
Prison Number:
Prison Address:
Home Address:

I am writing to inform you that I am currently in prison on remand and my case is to be heard on (date of court hearing if known):

In the meantime I am unable to meet the repayments on my mortgage - number:

I have applied to the [Jobcentre Plus] / [Social Security Office] * for income support to cover the interest element of my repayments. Please notify the [Jobcentre Plus] / [Social Security Office] * at:

of the amount of interest due on this account, quoting my name, home address and mortgage number. If my claim is met, it will cover nothing for the first eight weeks, 50% of the mortgage interest for the next 18 weeks, and 100% of the mortgage interest thereafter. I intend to resume full payments on my mortgage as soon as possible after release. I would be very grateful therefore if you could give consideration to rescheduling my mortgage in accordance with the income support mortgage interest payment schedule outlined above. I shall contact you again as soon as I know the result of my hearing.

If in the meantime there are any problems, please write to me at the above prison address as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully,

(Signature)

* delete as applicable