Housing and Council Tax Benefit - Change of Circumstances
You must tell us immediately if any of your circumstances change, for example:
- If you change your address
- If your income or capital goes up or down
- If you come off Job Seekers Allowance or Income Support
- If your Child Tax Credit and/or Working Tax Credit changes
- If you start work or change jobs
- If you or your partner go into hospital
- If anyone joins or leaves your household
- If a child leaves school
A form for telling us about changes to your circumstances or for a change of address is available on the right.
Please note this is not a full list and if you are unsure whether a change in your circumstances will affect your benefit please contact us for further advice.You must give us full details about the change in your circumstances including the date the change occurred.
If you are under 60 and you get any other state benefit, you also need to tell Job Centre Plus about any changes in your circumstances.
If you are over 60 and in receipt of Pension Credit, you will need to tell The Pension Service.
Once we have been told about the change we will let you know whether a new application form or any further proof is required.
Frequently asked questions
- When do I need to tell you about my change?
- What happens to my benefit if I start work?
- What do I need to do about my benefit if I am moving house?
- What happens if I have to pay rent on 2 homes?
- How can I claim an overlap of benefit?
- How can I claim benefit before moving in?
When do I need to tell you about my change?
Please tell us immediately about any change in your circumstance to avoid any overpayment, or to avoid losing out on any benefit.
If the changes mean that you will get more benefit, you must tell us within a month of the change, otherwise your benefit can only be changed from the Monday after you tell us and you will lose benefit.
If the change means that you will get less benefit, your claim will be changed from the Monday after the change has occurred.
It is an offence not to tell us about any change of circumstance that affects your benefit. Failure to do so may mean that we will take court action against you.
What happens to my benefit if I start work?
You must tell us straight away if you start work to avoid being overpaid.
If you or your partner are starting work or increasing the number of hours you work and have been getting:
- Jobseeker's Allowance (income based), or
- Income Support
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
You may be able to claim up to 4 weeks Housing/Council Tax Benefit at the same level you were getting before your circumstances changed. This is called an Extended Payment. For more information about Extended Payments please go to the link in related areas on the right.
What do I need to do about my benefit if I am moving house?
If you move address and currently receive Housing Benefit you need to inform us as soon as possible even if you are moving from one flat to another in the same building.
You will need to complete a Change of Address form and provide your new tenancy agreement. You will also need to confirm that there have been no other changes in your circumstances.
What happens if I have to pay rent on 2 homes?
Benefit on two homes
Normally, Housing Benefit is only payable for one home, however in certain circumstances benefit can be paid for two properties.
An overlap of benefit
When you are moving and you have to pay rent on your old and new home, you may be able to qualify for Housing Benefit for both of them if
- You have moved into the new property; and
- You could not reasonably have avoided having to pay rent on both properties.
Benefit can only be paid in this instance for a maximum of 4 weeks.
How can I claim an overlap of benefit?
You must tell us immediately if you think you may be entitled to an overlap of benefit. You will need to say why you had to move into your new address before your old tenancy ended.
You will need to provide proof of the date you had a rental liability up to at your old address.
Period of Notice
In certain situations we can pay benefit for a notice period, even if there is no liability where you are now living. This is in the following situations:
- People in hospital, who initially expected to return home but whose stay becomes permanent or they are discharged to a care home.
- People suddenly taken into hospital.
- Prisoners sentenced to a custodial term of more than 13 weeks.
A period of up to four weeks can be given, if the liability on the former home could not reasonably have been avoided, and the customer was otherwise entitled to Housing Benefit for that period.
Benefit before moving in
Housing Benefit can be paid for a maximum of 4 weeks prior to moving into the new home if;
- You had to make payments on your new home before moving in; and
- You make a claim for Housing Benefit before moving in; and you meet one of the following three criteria
- The move was delayed while necessary adaptations were made to the new home to meet the disabled needs of you or a member of your family; or
- The move was delayed pending the outcome of a social fund application
relating to your new home and your family includes a child aged 5 years or less, or a pensioner or a disability premium applies; or
- You had to make payments for your new home while you were a patient in residential care, hospital or a nursing home.
How can I claim benefit before moving in?
You must make a claim for Housing Benefit before you move into your new property. Please use the section called other information on the benefit application form, to request benefit is paid before you move into the property.
Please give as many details as possible.
Benefit on two homes
We will tell you in writing whether or not you qualify for benefit on two homes.
If you do qualify it will only be for a maximum of 4 weeks.
In certain other circumstances Housing Benefit may be paid on two properties, these include;
- Leaving a property through fear of violence.
- Students and their partners unavoidably occupying two properties.
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