Child benefit claim - sending original documents

mixmastermike

Hi,

I'm looking to apply for child benefit for the first time and after speaking to HMRC they require original documents to be sent. As my son was born overseas they also need me to send his passport along with birth certificate.

The problem I have is I Royal Mail can't be trusted and it makes me very uneasy sending these in the mail, even via registered mail.

Anyone know of a way around this? I even thought about going in person but the child benefit office is in Newcastle and I live in the South East

mikey_bach

Make an appointment at the local Jobcentre via the contact centre,
take in the passpot and birth certificate, they will make an officlal copy and sent it to child benefit for you..........
Just check with child benefit first but we do this at our office
pop your post code in here and it will give you the number of your local office to make the appointment
http://los.direct.gov.uk/default.aspx

mixmastermike

Thanks for the reply. I just contacted the local office and they said all jobcentres have now stopped doing this

rogerblack

You can contract any carrier you choose to deliver it, with insurance of many thousands of pounds on loss, if you wish to.
This will, needless to say be rather expensive.
I would recommend special delivery personally.

mazza111

Send it Special Delivery. RM actually have a very high success rate for items sent this way. The sweeping comment about them not to be trusted.... ok I'm aware some people have had problems with RM, but it's a very serious accusation.

sarahg1969

When we sent in my daughter's birth certificate, we sent it in a card-backed envelope. Got it back folded into 3 with a staple through the top and a coffee cup stain on the back.

Mupette

mixmastermike wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I just contacted the local office and they said all jobcentres have now stopped doing this

only in June my marriage cert was photocopied in a job center for it to go to esa,

mikey_bach

and we do it still in our office, but may not be national thing

SkyeKnight

sarahg1969 wrote: »

When we sent in my daughter's birth certificate, we sent it in a card-backed envelope. Got it back folded into 3 with a staple through the top and a coffee cup stain on the back.

And it just gets posted back normal post anyway.

When you register the birth it is worth getting a long birth certificate to use for stuff like this or ordering one now. Then if it gets lost you can just order another one from the GRO online for about £9. The Child Benefit office accept the long form of the certificate. You only ever get one of the short certificates though I think. Anyone can order any birth certificate from the GRO so it has no real value if it gets lost.

HB58

SkyeKnight wrote: »

And it just gets posted back normal post anyway.

When you register the birth it is worth getting a long birth certificate to use for stuff like this or ordering one now. Then if it gets lost you can just order another one from the GRO online for about £9. The Child Benefit office accept the long form of the certificate. You only ever get one of the short certificates though I think. Anyone can order any birth certificate from the GRO so it has no real value if it gets lost.

TheOP's child was born overseas, so the system might be different.

System

HB58 wrote: »

TheOP's child was born overseas, so the system might be different.

This is true. They need the original passport and birth certificate as proof that the child exists and entered the UK. They have the ability to assess if they are fake documents and I have heard of passports not being returned after being found to be fraudulent.