We have always thought that we require wage slips to cover the full computation period, however a colleague queried it today as in the contract it states most recent wage slip as being acceptable evidence of means. We have always opened a matter with most recent wage slip (as usually not got wage slips to cover full period yet) but if they do not provide the next one or other evidence remove from lsc. Would be interesting to know what other people do?
Maybe it's safer (by which I mean safer from the Great Voiding Monster in the LSC Assessment Department) to work on the basis that the "most recent wage slips" phrase should be read in the context of the LSC documentation whence it came. Including "Practitioners should attempt to obtain evidence relating to that period."
We've tried to work from the LSC's own instructions, which are quickest found on the eligibility calculator but of course are in the Manual too. I've pasted the section below.
12.2 Evidence of means
1. Satisfactory evidence as to means will need to be supplied and a copy kept on file. Examples of satisfactory evidence for income are set out at paragraph 5 below. This list is not exhaustive and other evidence may be accepted provided it is reasonably sufficient to establish the client’s and (if aggregated) their partner’s income during the computation period. For applications from 3 December 2001, the computation period is the calendar month ending on the day of the application and practitioners should attempt to obtain evidence relating to that period.
