In this guide for caseworkers, we will go through reviewing and managing applications, making award decisions, and maintaining communication with applicants. If you’re looking to log in, please refer to this article for further instructions.
Jump to:
- Getting started
- Accessing an application
- Reviewing an application
- Adding a reference to an application
- Application statuses and how to change them
Getting started
When you click "View" from the Application manager overview area, you will be taken into that specific application. Please view application manager overview for further details.
When viewing an individual's application, you can:
- View application statuses.
- Review detailed application information.
- Add notes, upload documents, and manage supporting evidence.
- Request and review additional information from applicants.
- Change the status of applications based on decisions.
Accessing an application
When reviewing applications, caseworkers will navigate through various sections to gather and verify key details from the application. The sections available will depend on your organisation's specific support schemes and the questions asked in the application process.
To access an individuals application:
1. Log in to the portal.
2. Locate the application you wish to review. View this guide for help with this step.
3. Once you click "View" from the dashboard area, you will have a view similar to the below:
Reviewing an application
Each organisation has its own processes for reviewing and processing applications. The sections outlined below will depend on the specific questions in your organisation's application, so the layout and content may vary. This serves as an overview, rather than a step-by-step guide. If you have any questions about your processes, please speak to your manager.
Key sections
Information sharing
This section confirms the applicant’s agreement to share their information for the purpose of the application.
Profile
Details from the applicant's profile are automatically pulled through, including:
- • Personal information (e.g., name, date of birth, address).
- • Employment status and financial circumstances.
⚠️ GDPR Reminder: Handle this information carefully and follow all GDPR guidelines.
Review supporting documents, such as payslips, bank statements, or linked bank accounts, if applicable.
- • Linked bank accounts and uploaded bank statements will appear in a financial evidence section. Any other supporting materials, such as military service records, council tax bills, or other relevant evidence, will also be displayed in this section.
Notes & activity
This section includes:
• Manual notes added by caseworkers.
• Application updates (e.g., approved, declined, or requested more information).
When the application status changes, notes & activity will update automatically with a timestamp, making it a useful tool for tracking the application’s history.
Awards
Check any previous support scheme awards, or assistance provided to the applicant by your organisation.
Assets
Access all the individual’s application details and information in one place. Within this area, you will have the option to download these in PDF format for your records.
⚠️ GDPR Reminder: Handle this information carefully and follow all GDPR guidelines.
History & matches
View the applicant's application history and any available support matches.
Identity check
If ID checks are enabled for your organisation, you’ll see a reference report verifying:
- - Address (via credit agencies, voting registers, telephone database).
- - Mortality records (to confirm no record of death).
- - Date of birth (cross-checked against public sources).
The applicant must consent to this process for verification to occur, otherwise this area will be blank and will only provide their non-consent.
Key points to note
- Processes and support scheme-specific requirements will differ across organisations.
- These sections are examples—actual areas displayed will vary based on your organisation's applications.
- Always follow your organisation’s internal processes when reviewing applications.
Adding a reference to an application
You can edit or add a reference to an application by clicking the pencil icon next to the "Ref" field.
Why would you add a reference?
Adding a reference is a helpful way to keep track of applications, as each reference serves as a unique identifier. This can be particularly useful for reporting purposes.
While not all organisations use this feature, it may be beneficial for organisations managing a large volume of applications.
Note: Some organisations have a feature enabled that automatically generates references for applications. If this applies to your organisation, you might not need to add or edit references manually, but you can still update them if necessary.
Application statuses and how to change them
When viewing an individual application, the application statuses are displayed along the top of the screen. Depending on your organisation's specific application review processes, you may use some or all of these statuses.
Updating the status of applications is a crucial step to help keep your organisation’s records accurate and up to date. Statuses are used to track the progress of applications and directly impact reporting, which helps to provide a clear view of the support being provided by your organisation.
Read on to see how each status works and what actions it triggers.
Approve
- Marks the application as approved.
- You'll see the below window appear on your screen.
- You can fill this out depending on what the applicant has been awarded with.
You can also send an email to the applicant by toggling the "Send award decision email to client"
Tip: If you select the wrong award type, click "Close" and then click "Approve" again to redo the process.
Decline
- Used if an application is declined.
- The below window will appear where you can provide details of the decision.
You can also send an email to the applicant by toggling the "Send award decision email to client"
Reviewed
Indicates the application is being or has been reviewed but still requires a final update to Approved or Declined.
Note: If the application has already been updated to another status and you need to make changes, selecting "Reviewed" will allow you to update the status again.
Request more info
- Notifies the applicant to provide additional details or documents to support their application. View the next section for more information on this status.
Additional Statuses
These statuses appear above the "Caseworker" field in the top right corner:
Inactive
- Indicates an application is inactive, typically due to no response from the applicant after a request for information. This status must be manually updated by the caseworker.
- Example: Additional financial evidence is requested, but follow-ups remain unanswered over time.
Withdrawn
- Used when the applicant advises they wish to withdraw their application.
- Marks the application as "Opted out" following the applicant's decision to withdraw.
Top tip
Keeping application statuses updated is essential for accurate reporting and tracking. When approving or declining an application, you’ll see the option to send an email to the applicant. If your organisation prefers not to send emails through the portal, you can skip this step by toggling the email option off. Even if you choose not to send an email, it’s important to update the status to keep records complete.
Requesting more information for an application
A common status used during the application review process is "Request more info". This is particularly helpful when you need additional details, such as financial information from the applicant.
Note: The sections available here depend on your organisation’s specific application questions and setup.
How to request more information
- 1. Click "Request more info".
- You will see the screen shown to the left.
- 2. Select the relevant section(s): Choose the specific area(s) for which you need more details, such as Financial Evidence, Supporting Documents, or Personal Details.
- 3. (Optional) Add a message: Use the free text field to clearly specify what information is required. Keep the message concise and direct.
4. Click "Send email"
Requesting information from household members
If the application involves household members, you can request details from them as well.
- Under "Who do you require information from?", select the relevant household member, and then follow the steps above for requesting more info.
Important: Ensure that you enter specific details about the information you require in the free-text field, as this will be received by the recipient.
What happens next?
1. An email is sent to the applicant (or household member) with instructions to log into the portal, including details of what information has been requested.
2. The application status will update to "Information requested".
3. The applicant can click Continue on their application. When they access the relevant part of the application, a banner along the top will display the details of the requested information, as well as on the email they received. They can then provide the required details and resubmit the application.
4. Once resubmitted, the application status will update to "Submitted", allowing the caseworker to review it again from within the Application manager. For more information on where you can find it, click here.
If you receive the required information through another method, you can manually change the status to "Info received" as shown below.
What's next?
If you wish to go back to a previous article please click on one of the below:
- Application manager overview
Need further assistance?
If you have any questions or encounter any difficulties, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected]g