A claim (“a telephone claim”) for an employment and support allowance may be made by telephone call to the telephone number specified by the Secretary of State.

Where the Secretary of State, in any particular case, directs that the person making the claim approves a written statement of his circumstances, provided for the purpose by the Secretary of State, a telephone claim is not a valid claim unless the person complies with the direction.

A telephone claim is defective unless the Secretary of State is provided, during that telephone call, with all the information he requires to determine the claim.

Where a telephone claim is defective, the Secretary of State is to advise the person making it of the defect and of the relevant provisions of regulation 6(1F) relating to the date of claim.

If the person corrects the defect within one month, or such longer period as the Secretary of State considers reasonable, of the date the Secretary of State F2first drew attention to the defect, the Secretary of State must treat the claim as if it had been properly made in the first instance.