Changes in Circumstances

When things change

While you are getting Housing Benefit, Local Housing Allowance and / or Council Tax benefit, you must tell us in writing about any changes in your circumstances which may alter your benefit.

For people on Pension Credit

If you are getting Pension Credit from the Pension Service, you do not usually need to tell us about changes to your income.

However, you must report the changes listed below to us.

If you are on either the Guaranteed or Savings element of Pension Credit, please tell us about the following changes:

• Someone comes to live with you
• Any change to the income of people who live with you, such as grown-up children or friends

Note: If you are 65 years old or over, there is a 26 week "grace" period for the above changes. This means that if someone moves in with you, or someone already living with you starts to earn more money, no change will be made to your claim for 26 weeks. But please tell us as soon as the change happens.

• Someone who was living with you leaves
• Your rent changes and you are not a council tenant
• If you are going to be away from your home for 13 weeks or more
• You get married or form a civil partnership, start living together or living together as civil partners, or separate
• You move address

If you are getting Savings Credit only, you must also report:

• Changes to children that you get Child Benefit for, such as them leaving school
• If your savings increase above £16000
• Income or capital changes of a partner who was not included in your claim for Pension Credit

For everyone else

For everyone else getting Housing Benefit, Local Housing Allowance and / or Council Tax benefit, you must tell us in writing about any changes in circumstances which may alter your benefit.

The types of changes that you need to report are:

• You or your partner stop getting Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance or Jobseekers Allowance
• You start work, change your job or change your hours
• You move address
• Any change to your or your partner’s income, such as a wage increase, a change in state benefits, Tax Credits etc
• Your savings alter
• You stop getting Child Benefit for one or more of your children
• Any of your children leave school
• Someone comes to live with you
• Someone who was living with you leaves
• There is a change in the income of someone who lives with you
• Your rent changes and you are not a council tenant
• You get married or form a civil partnership, start living together or living together as civil partners, or separate
• Any other change which might affect your benefit

If you are not sure whether you need to tell us about something, please ask the Benefits Team.

You must tell us about any changes, in writing, within one month of the change happening. If you delay, you may only get an increase in your benefit from when you tell us about the change.

Warning

If you do not tell us about a change, and you receive too much Housing Benefit, Local Housing Allowance and / or Council Tax benefit, you will have to repay it, and may be liable to prosecution.

If you would like any more information, please contact the Benefits Team.