Change of Circumstances

Once you start receiving Housing Benefit, Local Council Tax Support you need to keep us informed about any changes happening to you and the people living with you that may affect the amount of benefit/support you are entitled to receive. Even small changes may affect how much we can pay you.

You must tell us of this change in writing. You should not rely on someone else (like your landlord, or the Job Centre or a friend) to tell us about a change affecting you or the other people living with you. You must make sure you send your letters safely or hand deliver them to us, a telephone call is not enough.

You can notify us by email at benefits or request a change of circumstances form.

Please remember to put your name, address and benefit claim number on all correspondence to us. This will ensure that we can deal with your change as soon as possible. It would also be useful to have a contact telephone number for you; this will only be used if we want to contact you about your benefit claim.

Examples of changes you need to tell us about:

• your Income Support/Job Seekers Allowance stops

• you change address within the borough

• you move out of the borough

• if there is a change in your income or the income of anyone else living with you

• if anyone moves in or out of your home

• if anyone comes to stay with you (even for a short time)

• if you start work

• if you claim any other benefit (including Income Support and Job Seekers Allowance)

• if your capital/savings increase (unless they remain under £3000)

• you stop receiving Child Benefit for your child

• your child stops or starts being a student

• if you are going to be away from home for a period of time (not an annual holiday)

• if you are going into hospital

These are only examples of what you need to tell us about. If you have had a change and do not know if it will affect your benefit/support you should contact us for more information.

Delay in telling us of a change in your circumstances can lead to loss of benefit/support.

You may be prosecuted if you deliberately give us false information or fail to tell us of a change in your circumstances in order to get more benefit/support then you have a right to receive.