Housing Benefit Change of Circumstances 

If you receive housing benefit or council tax support, you must tell your local office immediately if you or the people living with you have any changes in circumstances.

It is best to notify the benefit office of any changes to your circumstances.

Whilst this may mean you lose out, it may also mean you gain extra benefits. You don’t want to lose any benefits, but if you don’t notify them and they find out you are, you are more likely to lose the benefits, which will be stopped whilst they sort them out or stopped altogether.

Some changes may mean you are entitled to more benefits, but others could mean you no longer qualify for benefits or should receive a lower amount. We recommend going to your local benefits office to report changes in your personal circumstances. You may need to take original documents, but you can also report your change of circumstances by ringing your benefits advice line or emailing them.
Contact Us, Rugby Dental Practice

To report changes by post, download and complete a change in circumstances form.

Moving home can be very problematic. If you move home and want to continue to claim housing benefit or council tax support for your new home, you must report it. To report a change by post, download and complete a change of address form.

Which changes should I report for my benefit claim?

· Anyone joins or leaves your household

· The income or capital of any non-dependant in your household changes

· You move to a new home

· You or your partner start or stop working

· You rent from a private landlord and the type of tenancy you have changes

· You rent from a private landlord or housing association and your rent changes

· Your or your partner’s benefits change

· Your or your partner’s income goes up or down

· Your or your partner’s savings go up or down

If you’re not sure whether you need to report a change, ring your benefits office and ask them for advice.

It may be best to go to the local office as often you will need to provide proof of any change in circumstances. The benefit office will only accept original documents, not photocopies, so it is better to attend in person and take original documents with you

When should I report a change for my benefits?

Do not delay. As soon as any changes happen report them then your claim can be sorted quickly. This means you’ll be paid the right amount of benefit, your benefits will not be stopped for some reason and it will help prevent benefit overpayments.

I’m a pensioner; do I need to report changes?

If you’re a pensioner, you need to tell the Pension Service instead. They’ll work out your income level and tell the benefits office what it is. The Pension Service will need to know that you’re claiming housing benefit or council tax support.

When will my benefits claim change?

Normally, this happens the following Monday after being reported, so if the change means you’ll get more or less benefit, your benefit will usually go up the week after you tell them about the change.

What happens if I don’t report a change to circumstances which may affect my benefit claim?

If you don’t tell the benefit office promptly about a change of circumstances, they may take action against you. This could include going to court, a fine or a formal warning called a caution.

]]>

Login or Register FREE to add comment.