Home Visits

Home visit to check your benefit payment

You may get a visit from a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) officer to check that your benefit payment is correct. The reason for the visit is to collect national statistics on the benefits system. 

A Performance Measurement review officer may visit you if you’re claiming: 

  • Employment and Support Allowance 

  • Housing Benefit 

  • Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) 

  • Pension Credit 

  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) 

  • Universal Credit 

Your name is selected at random to be checked. You’ll get a letter in advance telling you about the visit. 

Check their identity 

You can check the identity of the Performance Measurement review officer by: 

  • asking to see their photo identity card 

  • calling the Business Support Team and giving the review officer’s name 

Business Support Team

Telephone: 0191 216 8050

NGT text relay (external link) (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0191 216 8050

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Find out more information about call charges (external link) 

What to expect

The officer will interview you in your home and will want to see 2 forms of identification. 

You can reschedule the visit if you need to. 

They’ll also ask to see documents about money, savings and rent, for example: 

  • payslips 

  • bank, building society or Post Office accounts 

  • rent book or tenancy agreement 

  • benefits and tax credit awards 

Visits usually last up to an hour but may be longer.