Change of Circumstance

Reporting changes in your circumstances

While you are receiving Housing Benefit, Local Housing Allowance or Council Tax Support, you must tell us immediately about any changes in your circumstances which may alter your entitlement. If the change means your entitlement increases and you do not tell us within one month of the change then you will lose out on this extra entitlement. If the change means that your entitlement reduces, then you will have been overpaid and we will ask you to repay this.

If you receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support and do not receive Pension Credit, you must tell us about any changes in circumstances which may alter your entitlement.

This form allows you to tell us about changes in your circumstances or the circumstances of other people living in your household.

Report a change of circumstances

You can also write to us at Benefits Team, Brocks Hill Council Offices, Washbrook Lane, Oadby, LE2 5JJ

Examples of a change in circumstance

Examples of changes to notify us of include:

• Children joining or leaving your household, or children leaving school or education
• People moving in and out of your household
• Changes in the benefits or tax credits you receive
• Changes to your savings or monies held
• Changes to the amount of rent you are charged
• A partner joining or leaving your household
• Changes at work such as working over-time, getting a new or additional job, leaving or starting work

This is not a full list so please ask us for advice if you are not sure about what changes you need to report.

Authority has been provided by the Chief Executive to collect this information, see this attachment. Acceptance of Electronic Claims and Changes of Circumstances (PDF Document, 310.27 Kb)

Information and Evidence

When your circumstances change, we often need to ask you for additional information such as documents, letters or certificates. If we need additional information we will write to you or telephone you.

SMS text messaging

We are able to use SMS (Short Message Service) text messaging to send you information about your claim. If you are happy for us to contact you by SMS text message remember to give us your mobile phone number and tick the box to say we can contact you by SMS message.

If you receive Pension Credit

If you receive 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

If you are 65 years old or over, there is a 26 week deferral 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. Please tell us as soon as any of the following changes happen:

• Someone who was living with you leaves
• Your rent changes and you are not a council tenant
• 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 receive Savings Credit only, you must also report:

• Changes to children that you receive Child Benefit for, such as them leaving school
• If your savings increase above £16,000
• Income or capital changes for a partner who was not included in your claim for Pension Credit

If you do not tell us about a change, and you are overpaid Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support, you will have to repay the overpayment and may be liable to prosecution. If you would like any more information, please contact the Benefits Team.