Changing Your Address
Last updated | 21/02/2008
If you are currently in receipt of Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit and you have moved to or are intending to move to a new address, you must notify us in writing, regardless of whether this move is expected to be permanent or temporary.
It is important that in order to prevent overpayments of benefit from occuring, you advise us as soon as possible. For more information on overpayments of Housing and Council Tax Benefit.
Thinking of Moving but You Are Unsure of How Much Help You Could Receive?
If you are moving to a privately rented property, it will be necessary for Perth and Kinross Council to refer the property to the Rent Registration Service who will advise of the maximum amount of benefit that could be paid for that particular property. The decision which the Rent Registration Service reach does not automatically mean that you will receive that amount in Housing Benefit as your circumstances will then dictate how much of this amount you are entitled to.
If you are thinking of moving to a private address but you are concerned that you may not be able to meet the financial commitment, we can carry out a Pre-Tenancy Determination.
A Pre-Tenancy Determination is sent by Perth and Kinross Council to the Rent Registration Service before you have signed any agreement for a new property.
A Pre-Tenancy Determination form is required to be completed by the prospective tenant giving full details of the property, who will occupy this and details of the landlord. This must be signed by the prospective tenant(s) and landlord.
You can obtain a Pre-Tenancy Determination form from our downloads on the right hand side of this page or you can contact us. For full contact details, 'Click Here'.
Once the decision is returned, you will then receive a copy. Remember, the amount on the decision is not necessarily what you will receive however once you have the decision, you can contact us and we can carry out a calculation to give you an idea of what your entitlement could be.
How To Notify Us of A Change of Address
The correct manner for you to notify us of your Change of Address will depend on your current circumstances at the property you currently occupy or your former property and also the new property which you intend to occupy or you have moved to. Below, we have given some examples of the correct manner to notify us:
Circumstances at
Current Address |
Circumstances at New
Address |
How to Notify Us of
Your Change of Address |
You currently receive Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit for a Council property. |
You are moving to/you have moved to another Council Property or you have purchased your home or you are moving out of the area or to reside in a property that you will not be liable for rent or Council Tax |
You must complete a Change In Circumstances Form. |
You currently receive Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit for a Council property |
You are moving to/you have moved to a property which you are renting from a Housing Association or Private Landlord. |
You must complete a Change of Address Form. |
You currently receive Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit for a property which you rent from a Housing Association or Private Landlord. |
You are moving to/you have moved to a Council Property or a property you have purchased or you are moving out of the area or to reside in a property that you will not be liable for rent or Council Tax |
You must complete a Change In Circumstances Form. |
You currently receive Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit for a property which you rent from a Housing Association or Private Landlord. |
You are moving to/you have moved to a property which you are renting from a Housing Association or Private Landlord. |
You must complete a Change of Address Form. |
You own your property an you currently receive Council Tax or Second Adult Rebate. |
You are moving to/have moved to another property which you own or you are moving out of the area or to reside at a property which you are not liable for Council Tax for. |
You must complete a Change In Circumstances Form. |
You own your property and you currently recieve Council Tax Benefit or Second Adult Rebate. |
You are moving to/you have moved to a property which you are renting from a Housing Association or Private Landlord. |
You must complete a New Application Form. |
| You receive either Housing and Council Tax Benefit for any type of property. |
You are changing address to a privately rented property on or after 07 April 2008. |
You must complete a Change of Address Form. We may need to write to you for further information. |
|
Completing the Correct Form
As you will see, in the majority of scenarios, you will be required to complete one of three forms. You can obtain one of these forms from our downloads on the right hand side of this page or you can Contact Us.
The above examples may not cover your specific circumstances and so we ask that you follow these guidelines as much as possible, with the main priority in ensuring that you notify us in writing as soon as possible.
It is important to ensure that all forms are completed accurately and in full. You must tell us the date that you left your former property as well as tell us the date that you actually moved into your new address. If you have stayed anywhere in between, you must provide details.
If you have not moved into your new address yet you must tell us the date that you expect to move into your new address. Once you have actually moved into your new address, you must confirm in writing the date that you moved.
Supporting Evidence
If you have moved or you are moving to a property which you are renting from a Housing Association or Private Landlord, you will be required to provide proof of rent when you submit your completed Change of Address Form or New Application Form. Further guidance on what is accepted as proof of rent.
Sometimes it is necessary for us to write to you if we require some further information. If you receive a written request for further information, please respond to this as soon as possible providing the specific information requested.
Local Housing Allowance
From April 2008, a new Housing Benefit scheme known as Local Housing Allowance will be introduced for those who rent from a private landlord. If you change address to a property which you will be renting from a private landlord after April 2008, any Housing Benefit entitlement which you have will be granted under the Local Housing Allowance scheme. More information on Local Housing Allowance.
