benefits & on-line bank statements

lisyloo · 12 July 2008 at 11:01AM

Has anyone else has hassle with benefits and on-line banks.
We are being asked for "verification" of a savings account.

Our savings are with ICICI bank who have never sent us any addressed correspondance EVER in the past 3 years.
It's all done through email and on-line.
We don't get tax certificates as both joint account holders do not pay tax.

I have emailed them before but got nowhere as they simply don't provide anything.
Are banks obliged to provide anything?
If not and benefits insist then is there anything we can do except appeal?
They can't ask us to do the impossible.

bank_of_slate · 12 July 2008 at 12:20PM

We are also with ICICI and have received correspondence and confirmation of our account through the post.
When you set up the account did you opt out of receiving information via post?
I would write an official letter to them to request the verification that you need.
Either that or can you log on and print something off yourself?
...Linda xx

Oldernotwiser · 12 July 2008 at 12:53PM

lisyloo wrote: »

Has anyone else has hassle with benefits and on-line banks.
We are being asked for "verification" of a savings account.

Our savings are with ICICI bank who have never sent us any addressed correspondance EVER in the past 3 years.
It's all done through email and on-line.
We don't get tax certificates as both joint account holders do not pay tax.

I have emailed them before but got nowhere as they simply don't provide anything.
Are banks obliged to provide anything?
If not and benefits insist then is there anything we can do except appeal?
They can't ask us to do the impossible.

If you're claiming means tested benefits it's only reasonable that you should be asked to prove your financial situation. Surely you can print off information for an on line account?

angel81uk · 12 July 2008 at 1:10PM

We had the same problem when applying for a mortgage. At the time my OH banked with Smile but our mortgage lender wouldn't accept print outs from online banking to prove income as they don't show an address and are too easy to doctor. In the end all it took was a quick phone call to ask for printed statements to be sent to us but we did have to pay £5 per monthly statement.

lisyloo · 12 July 2008 at 1:42PM

Surely you can print off information for an on line account?

We can print off statements which we have been doing for 3 years.
I haven't found anywhere that we can print off anything with address details on though.
I'll go back on and check again but I'm pretty sure there is nothing with address on it.

It's possible that I opted out of postal correspondance as I automatically opt out of all junk mail, but it was several years ago so I can't say definitely.

In the end all it took was a quick phone call to ask for printed statements to be sent to us but we did have to pay £5 per monthly statement.

I have asked for this before and ICICI bank do not do printed statements.

I'll check back on-line and see what the pension credit people say they need.

lisyloo · 12 July 2008 at 1:47PM

There is nothing on-line with address details on that I can print.
There is nothing I can customize to get postal correspondance.

I will have to wait and see what the pension credit people say.

Silly think is they have paid out based on this information for 3 years.
I guess they might just be doign an audit but I would have thought after 3 years that it would be OK.

I don't have an issue with proving savings etc. I understand the need to do it.
Just don't know how to do it in this case.
We'll have to see what they say.

Savvy_Sue · 13 July 2008 at 2:05PM

MOVING THREADS FOR BETTER RESPONSES

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to the Benefits board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

lucia15 · 13 July 2008 at 3:39PM

lisyloo wrote: »

Has anyone else has hassle with benefits and on-line banks.
We are being asked for "verification" of a savings account.

Our savings are with ICICI bank who have never sent us any addressed correspondance EVER in the past 3 years.
It's all done through email and on-line.
We don't get tax certificates as both joint account holders do not pay tax.

I have emailed them before but got nowhere as they simply don't provide anything.
Are banks obliged to provide anything?
If not and benefits insist then is there anything we can do except appeal?
They can't ask us to do the impossible.

It is understood that now many people have online savings accounts for which they do not receive statements. Under Verification Framework legislation, your LA office can accept print-outs of the account, but they must be full screen dumps, ie, you get the account details up, press the 'Print Screen' button on your PC, and paste it to a blank word document. That should then be acceptable and they should be able to deal with your claim.
Hope this helps.
Lucy, HB supervisor.

[Deleted User] · 13 July 2008 at 4:07PM

lisyloo wrote: »

We can print off statements which we have been doing for 3 years.
I haven't found anywhere that we can print off anything with address details on though.
I'll go back on and check again but I'm pretty sure there is nothing with address on it.

It's possible that I opted out of postal correspondance as I automatically opt out of all junk mail, but it was several years ago so I can't say definitely.

I have asked for this before and ICICI bank do not do printed statements.

I'll check back on-line and see what the pension credit people say they need.

If you contact the bank on their freephone number 080 81 31 41 51 you CAN request a printed copy of your current account statement for £5 per monthlt statement.

You will be put through to a foreign call centre who will keep telling you that you can and/or will need to download your statements. Be firm and insist that you need a copy to be sent to you by post (just lie and say your printer is broken to shut them up). They will eventually tell you that it is possible and it will be a cost of £5 per monthly statement.

I have just tried calling 5 minutes ago to get this "general advice" from them.

I also found the charges page - http://www.icicibank.co.uk/current_account_charges.html

It shows that one statement issued at the agreed periodicity is free.

lucia15 · 13 July 2008 at 5:57PM

subsoniccoyote wrote: »

If you contact the bank on their freephone number 080 81 31 41 51 you CAN request a printed copy of your current account statement for £5 per monthlt statement.

You will be put through to a foreign call centre who will keep telling you that you can and/or will need to download your statements. Be firm and insist that you need a copy to be sent to you by post (just lie and say your printer is broken to shut them up). They will eventually tell you that it is possible and it will be a cost of £5 per monthly statement.

I have just tried calling 5 minutes ago to get this "general advice" from them.

I also found the charges page - http://www.icicibank.co.uk/current_account_charges.html

It shows that one statement issued at the agreed periodicity is free.

Don't pay for copies of statements. Any benefit office would NEVER expect claimants to pay for statements. A screen dump showing your account transactions will be 100% acceptable.

Lucy

SuziQ · 13 July 2008 at 7:17PM

I was refused permission to use downloaded statements from Barclays for my council tax benefit application. I had to request and pay as Barclays refused to do it-they said they had already sent statements for the 3 month period requested (I had'nt seen them so Idon't know where they went!)

benefits & on-line bank statements

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