When your Housing and/or Council Tax benefit claim starts, your claim will continue until your circumstances change. A change could be something affecting you, your partner or anybody else who lives with you and it could increase or reduce your benefit entitlement or stop you being entitled to housing or council tax benefit altogether.
If your circumstances change, it is your legal responsibility to advise us of this so that your benefit can be amended.
What changes do you need to tell us about?
There are many types of changes that you need to tell us about, below is a list of some of the changes, however it is important that you check with us if you’re unsure if a change will affect your entitlement to Housing and/or Council Tax benefit:
Changes in income or capital
Any increase or decrease in wages, works pensions, maintenance etc
If any sort of income starts, stops or the amount you get goes up or down
If you or your partner stop working
Any changes to the amount of your capital or savings
Change in other benefits
If you start or stop receiving Income Support
If you start or stop getting Jobseeker’s Allowance
If any other benefit starts or stops or the amount changes
If Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit starts or stops, or the amount changes
People who live with you
If someone comes to live with you
If someone living with you leaves
If anyone who lives with you starts or stops working
If there is any change in the income of someone who lives with you
If a child leaves school
Changes in rent (private and housing association tenants 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
When and how should you report a change of circumstances?
You should report your change in circumstances as soon as you are aware of the change. If you delay in reporting the change:-
You must provide any evidence of the change ie original wage slips, etc, we cannot accept photocopies.
You may also report your change of circumstance in person at our Benefits Enquiry Counter within Dudley Council Plus, Castle Street, Dudley. If you provide all information required, we will be able to
Fast Track your case and process your change within 2 days.
What happens if you don’t report a change of circumstance?
If you do not report your change at the correct time you may be being paid too much Housing and/or Council Tax benefit. Any amount overpaid will have to be claimed back from you.
If you have been overpaid Housing Benefit we will ask you or, in some cases, your landlord, to repay the money overpaid. If you are still entitled to Housing Benefit, the amount of Housing Benefit you are paid will be reduced until the full amount has been recovered. If you no longer qualify for Housing Benefit you will be issued an invoice for the overpaid amount.
If you have been overpaid Council Tax Benefit, the amount you have been overpaid will be added to your council tax account and revised instalments issues.
