Tell us about a change

You need to tell us straight away about any change that could affect your Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit. You need to complete a form or tell us in writing and provide proof of the change.

You must tell us even if you have told another agency, for example the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or the Pension Service.

Tell us about your change »

 

Below are some of the common changes you need to tell us about.

Income or benefits

• Changes in wages, maintenance, works pensions, tax credits and so on.
• If any sort of income starts, stops or the amount you get goes up or down.
• If you start or stop work.
• If you start or stop getting Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit.
• If any other benefit starts or stops or the amount changes.
• If a tax credit like Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit starts or stops, or if the amount changes.

If some of your benefit entitlements come to an end because you have taken up employment, increased your hours of work or your earnings, you may be able to continue receiving Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support for an additional four week period.

People who live with you

• If anyone comes to stay with you or moves out, including people who go into hospital or prison.
• If anyone who lives with you starts or stops work.
• If there is any change in the income of someone who lives with you.
• If you have a new baby.
• If a child or young person leaves school.

Bank accounts, savings and investments (capital)

• If you or your partner is of working age, you need to tell us if your combined capital increases to over £5,500.
• If you or your partner is of qualifying age for Pension Credit you need to tell us if your combined capital increases to over £9,500.

Your capital includes money in your bank account(s), savings, stocks and shares.

Private rents and housing association rents (for Housing Benefit claimants only)

• If your landlord puts your rent up or down.
• If the services included in your rent change.
• If the part of the property you live in changes. For example, you may move to a different room in the same property or take on extra rooms.
• If your landlord changes.

(But council tenants do not need to tell us about changes to their rent)

If you move

Please try to tell us before you move but if you can’t, tell us as soon after the move as you can.

It is important that you let us know straight away because if we pay you too much, you will probably have to pay back the amount we have overpaid.

Before you move

Before you move, you can check how much Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support you could get using our online benefits calculator.

When you decide to take on the tenancy you should complete a change of address form and provide proof of your new address and proof of rent.

Remember that Housing Benefit is paid in arrears, so you may need to arrange a deposit or paying rent in advance until you get your Housing Benefit. You may be able to get a discretionary housing payment to help with rent in advance or rent deposit.

Try to plan your move, and try to arrange it so you are not responsible for paying rent at two properties at the same time. If you can’t give enough notice to avoid paying rent at two properties, we may, but not always, be able to help you with both. We are unable to help you pay Council Tax for more than one property at a time.

If you're going away from home temporarily

If you get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support and you or anyone in your household will be away from your home for more than four weeks, you need to let us know.

To receive Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support you must be living in the property for which you are claiming. However, some people can continue to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support whilst away from home.

Other changes

• If you become a couple.
• If you stop receiving Child Benefit for a child.
• Changes to the amount of childcare you pay.
• If you become a student or finish your course.

These are not full lists. If you’re not sure, tell us about a change anyway and we will let you know if it affects your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support.

If you don't tell us about changes straight away

If you don’t tell us about changes when they happen we may pay you the wrong amount.

If you are entitled to more Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support because of a change in your circumstances

If you delay telling us about a change that would increase your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support award, we may not be able to backdate your claim to when it happened. Instead we may only increase your award from when you tell us. If you delay telling us you may lose out.

If you are entitled to less Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support because of a change in your circumstances

If you delay telling us about a change that would decrease your award, we may pay you too much and you may be overpaid. If you are overpaid, you will probably have to pay it back.

If you don’t tell us about changes when they happen you may be committing benefit fraud.

The sooner you tell us, the less chance there is of you being overpaid Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support which you may have to pay back. You can ask us to suspend paying your claim until we reassess it, if the change is likely to reduce your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support.