Tell us straight away if your circumstances change.
Your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support is worked-out using the information you give us on your application form.
If this information has changed, you may no longer be getting the right amount of help towards your rent or Council Tax.
Examples of some of the changes you need to tell us about are:
- changes to you or your partner’s income (including benefits)
- changes to you or your partner’s savings, including if you inherit money/property
- if you or your partner start or leave work
- changes in your or your partner’s working hours, hourly rate/salary or employer
- if you are moving home
- changes to your rent
- someone else moving into or out of your home
- the birth of a child
- your children leaving school or starting work
- the changed circumstances of anyone living with you
- any period of temporary absence from your home of 4 weeks or more.
If you’re entitled to more benefit because of a change, you will normally only be awarded the extra from the time that you tell us. We won’t be able to backdate it.
If you’re entitled to less benefit because of a change, your benefit will reduce from the date the change occurred. If you’ve been overpaid, we will ask for the money back.
If you don’t tell us about a change that affects the amount of Council Tax Support you receive, even if it wasn't deliberate, we may fine you £70 as a penalty.
If you deliberately don’t tell us about a change, we may investigate you for benefit fraud and prosecute you if you are found guilty.
The fastest way to update your claim is to report your change online.
You will need to have your claim reference number handy.
This can be found on your benefit award letters in the top right-hand corner.
If you don’t know your claim reference number please make sure you give us your full name, address and postcode so that we can find your claim.
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