Change in circumstances - housing benefit

If you are in receipt of benefits and your circumstances change you must tell us. 

If your circumstances change whilst in receipt of housing benefit, you must tell us immediately.

Please tell us if:

• you start or stop getting income support, job seekers allowance or pension credit
• you start or stop getting tax credits
• the money you or your partner gets increases or decreases
• the money coming into your home increases or decreases
• there are any other changes in the money people in your home get. For example, someone starts getting disability living allowance 
• you change your address
• the number of people in your home changes - for example, someone has a baby
• a partner comes to live with you
• a partner leaves 
• you, or your partner, go into hospital for more than 6 weeks
• you, or your partner, become a student, or stop being a student
• the amount of savings or capital you have changes              

About this service

Once we have assessed your change in circumstances, we will notify you in writing of any changes in your housing benefit entitlement.

What you must do

All changes in circumstances must be reported, preferably in writing, as soon as the change occurs.  Failure to do so may make you liable to prosecution.

What we must do

You have the right to appeal, to an independent appeals tribunal, against any decision made regarding your housing benefit entitlement.

Some frequently asked questions

How do I notify you of a change in my circumstances?

You must notify us of any change immediately, preferably in writing.Failure to notify us may lead to an overpayment of housing benefit.