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Change of circumstances

Council tax - Change of circumstances

If anything happens during this time which might affect how much benefit you get, you must tell us immediately.

If you don't tell us about a change, and we pay you too much benefit, you may have to pay it back.

You must tell us about the following changes:-

Changes to the money you get

Please tell us if:-

• you start or stop getting Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (income based)
• you start or stop getting Family Credit
• the money you or your partner gets increases or decreases
• the money non-dependants get increases or decreases
• there are any other changes in the money people in your home get. For example, someone starts getting Disability Living Allowance

Changes in your home

Please tell us if:-

• you change your address
• the number of people in your home changes - for example, someone has a baby
• a partner comes to live with you
• a partner leaves

Other changes

Please tell us if:-

• you, or your partner, go into hospital for more than 6 weeks
• you, or your partner, become a student, or stop being a student
• the amount of savings or capital you have changes

You do not have to tell us about changes in age (for example, if one your children becomes 11 years old), as we will have this information already.

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Housing benefit - Change of circumstances

If you currently receive Housing Benefit and there is a change in any of your personal circumstances, you must let us know as soon as possible.

Moving Address

As a private tenant and the change in circumstance is due to a move of address then you should complete a new claim form.

If the entitlement relates to a Council Housing Benefit Claim then you should also complete a new claim form, unless you have more than 13 weeks outstanding on your current claim. You would find this information out by looking at your notification letters for your current address or on visiting one of our Information Points. If this is the case, you need only provide a signed statement showing the current address, the forwarding address and the date of the move and confirmation that you want the claim to continue.

If you have had other changes in your circumstances since last time you claimed then a new form should be completed.

Income support/Job Seekers Allowance has stopped

If Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based) or Income Support has ceased then a new claim form should be completed and returned as soon as possible.

You should also provide proof of your new income and any savings you may have.

What happens if there are changes in my income or savings?

If your savings and/or income has changed (not Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance) you should contact us, notify us either in writing or directly. We will require you to provide proof.

What happens if there is a change in my rent?

If private rent charges change then you should confirm the rent changes in writing. Proof of the new rent level will be required.

What happens if there are changes to the people living with me?

If you or your partner leave the household, then a new form should be completed by the person remaining in the home. It will be likely that your income will have changed and details and proof will be required.

If a non-dependant or a dependant leave the household, you need to contact us to let us know what date they left and their forwarding address.

This is also the case if a boarder, tenant, sub-tenant or carer leave.

The service may not be able to remove someone from an address without details of their forwarding address and if you are unable to provide a forwarding address you will have to provide an explanation.

We need to be informed of all changes in your circumstances as soon as possible. If you delay, you may lose benefit.

In all cases, except where people are claiming through the "Job Centre plus" It is your duty to notify us of circumstances. Where you claim through the "Job Centre Plus", it is your responsibility to notify them.

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Other pages you may find useful

• Housing benefit - new claim (PID 69)