Benefits: Change of circumstances

Tell us about changes in your circumstances

If you get Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction (including Alternative Maximum Council Tax Reduction) you must tell us immediately about any changes in your household circumstances.

The main things that count as changes are:

• You, your partner or anyone living with you stops receiving a benefit; starts receiving a benefit; or has a change in the type of benefit received.
• You, your partner, or anyone living with you starts work; stops work; or changes their job.
• You, your partner or anyone living with you has an increase or a reduction in their earnings; or has a change in the number of hours they work each week.
• You, your partner or anyone living with you has a change in their income (including changes in tax credits; pensions; student loans; maintenance payments and any other income).
• You or your partner has an increase or a reduction in your savings or capital (including if you buy, inherit or sell a property).
• You, your partner or anyone living with you are going to be away from home for more than 4 weeks.
• You, your partner or anyone living with you stops receiving Child Benefit for a child or young person.
• Your children leave school or start further education.
• Your children start or stop going to a child minder; or your child care costs change.
• You your partner or anyone living with you start or stop being a student.
• You move address.
• Someone moves in with you; or someone moves out.
• Your rent changes (unless you are a council tenant).
• You become related to your landlord.
• Your immigration or worker status in the UK changes.

These are only examples and this is not a full list – if anything in your household changes and you are not sure if it may affect your benefit/reduction tell us anyway.

Please remember include contact details (email address or telephone number) in case we need further information or evidence of the changes.

If you delay telling us about changes, you may not get what you're entitled to. If you get too much benefit or reduction (over-payment) you will need to pay it back - or even have your benefit stopped. You could even face criminal charges for fraud.