Reporting Changes In Circumstances
Last updated | 21/02/2008
If your application for Housing and Council Tax Benefit is successful, your entitlement will continue unless your entitlement is effected by any changes in legislation but more commonly by any changes in your household circumstances.
Changes in your household circumstances may alter the level of benefit that you are entitled to. This means that your Housing and Council Tax Benefit may reduce or increase or stay the same as a consequence of this change. It is important that regardless of what you anticipate the outcome of this change to be, we are notified of this change as soon as possible.
Responsibility to Report Changes in Circumstances
The responsibility for reporting Changes In Circumstances lies with the applicant. Sometimes we can receive notification of changes in your circumstances from other agencies such as the Department for Work and Pensions, however, as we cannot ensure that this will always be the case, you are required to report all changes directly - yourself.
As a Change in Circumstances may result in the loss of some or all benefit entitlement, it is important that these changes are reported everytime, on time and in the correct manner. If these guidelines are not followed, this may lead to an overpayment of Housing and Council Tax Benefit. More information on overpayments.
What Changes Should Be Reported - Examples Only
It is important to remember that we cannot cover all potential Changes In Circumstances which may effect your entitlement and so we have prepared a very rough guide to which changes you are required to report. If you have a change which is not on our guide, it is always safer to contact us for further guidance. By seeking this guidance sooner rather than later, this will greatly reduce any potential overpayment which you may be required to pay back.
- If you or a member of your household starts to work or gets a second job
- If you start or stop getting any type of income such as tax credits, incapacity benefit, wages
- Any change in the amount of type of income or benefits of anybody in your household
- Any changes in the number of people in your household - for example when someone joins or leaves, including those admitted to hospital
- If you or your partner's capital or savings go up or down
- If a child in your household leaves school
- Any changes to the payments you make to a private pension
- Any changes to child care costs
- If you move house (Please refer to our Changing Your Address Section)
This is not an exhaustive list of possible changes in circumstances. If in any doubt as to whether or not your change of circumstances is relevant, you should always inform us anyway.
How To Report a Change In Circumstances - The Correct Manner
It is important to remember the correct manner in which all Changes in Circumstances should be reported. In all cases, notification must be made in writing and must be received in one of our offices as soon as possible. Remember - delay can lead to overpayments.
To notify us in writing, please complete a Change In Circumstances form. We always include one of these in each notification letter which you receive. If you do not have one of these, you can collect one from any of our offices or obtain one of these from our downloads on the right hand side of this page.
It is recommended that as well as notifying us in writing, you also telephone our dedicated phone line on 01738 476080 to alert us sooner. This again will help to reduce any potential overpayment.
Checklist for Notifying us Of Changes in Circumstances
- Always notify us of Changes In Your Household Circumstances in writing.
- If in doubt about whether your change should be reported - contact us.
- Ensure that you notify us as soon as possible.
- Report your change even if you think that another organisation should have or has told us.
