Report Change of Circumstance
You must tell us straight away about any changes in circumstances, for you, your partner, any dependent children or any non-dependant who lives with you.
All changes must be reported in writing either by letter to the Benefits Team or in person at our offices. Some changes in circumstances may now mean that you will be required to claim Universal Credit and your Housing Benefit will stop.
Information about the changes that may require you to claim Universal Credit is available on the Universal Credit webpage. The Department of Works and Pensions will advise you if you need to claim Universal Credit and will notify us that your Housing Benefit claim needs to be stopped. Any claim for Council Tax Support will continue to be paid on your new income details.
You will receive a two-week run-on of Housing Benefit from the date that your claim for Universal Credit starts.
If you are not sure if the change will affect your entitlement you should still tell us about it.
We will need to see proof of the change with an original document (for example an award notice), which we will copy and return to you.
Please report any changes immediately. If the change in circumstances results in you receiving more benefit this must be reported within one month. Failure to do so will mean any recalculation is made on the Monday following a report of change, meaning you will lose out on any benefit you were entitled to.
If changes result in receiving less benefit we will recalculate your entitlement from the Monday following the date of the change and an overpayment will be calculated which you will be asked to repay. If you are not sure what changes to tell us about, or what proof to send, just ask.
Tell us about any changes in circumstances if:
- Your wages change
- Any benefits you receive increase, decrease or stop
- Your private pension changes
- Your savings change
- Any other income you receive changes
- Children or other adults leave or move into your home
- The income of other adults in your home changes
- You start or stop receiving Universal Credit, Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance
- You start to receive Child Tax Credits or Working Tax Credit
- You or your partner move house even if this move is temporary
- If you have been advised by your landlord that your rent has increased we will need you to complete the online form below. We may require you to provide evidence of this
Rent increase
Moving within the district
Your Housing Benefit will need to be recalculated if you change your address. If you are moving within the District you will need to download and complete a change of address form so that you can continue to claim Housing Benefit at your new address.
We will also need to close your Council Tax account and open your new Council Tax account at your new address.
Moving out of the district
If you are moving out of the area please tell us you are moving house.
We will also need to close your Council Tax account and issue your closing bill to your new address.