Once an IVA’s been recommended for you, we’ll need several documents in order to set it up.
To make sure your IVA’s activated as quickly as possible, please send the following documents to us as promptly as you can:
- Proof of your highest income
This should match the amount you gave us during your debt advice session. If it doesn’t match, make sure you include a note to us that explains why. This proof also needs to include your name, and can be one of the following:
- Your most recent payslip (dated within the last three months)
- A recent bank statement that shows your income received (dated within the last three months) You can also highlight your income figures if you think this would help us identify it quicker
- For benefits, please send your most recent award letter. We need to see all pages, and this letter should include the benefits amount that you’re currently receiving)
- Statements from your creditors
- If you own a vehicle, we’ll need to see your V5 form to confirm the value of your car as an asset
- Any other documents as outlined in your welcome pack
It’s our aim where possible to provide a completely paperless service. With this in mind, please send us copies of the documents we need by email.
You can either:
- Scan the documents onto your computer using a flat scanner, or
- Take a photograph of each document using your mobile phone
Help us process your documents as quickly as possible
Before sending your documents to us by email, please:
- Check that all details on the document are clear enough to read
A simple way to check is to open the document on a PC or laptop screen. If you’ve taken the photograph on your phone, email it to yourself and open the attachment on your PC or laptop
- Make sure each scanned document contains all the information we need
- Make sure the image file size isn’t too large
If the file size is over one megabyte (1MB), it might not make it into our mailbox. If you’re sending the file from your phone, it will eat up your data allowance if it’s too big
- Don’t send too many attachments to us at once
- Make sure none of the images contain sensitive information belonging to someone else, such as their contact details or their face
- Don’t send links to websites that require a login to access the documents we need
We’re unable to use your login to see these documents
- Don’t send the image as a Google Drive link
We can’t access these at present
- Send the image in one of the following formats:
I can’t email my documents to you – what should I do?
If you’re unable to send your documents to us by email, you can post them to:
StepChangeVA, Arena Point, Merrion Way, Leeds, LS2 8PA
Please note that it’ll take longer for us to process paper documents than it does emailed documents.