Service FAQ questions |

main content Housing and Council Tax Benefit - What to do if your circumstances change

What kind of changes do I need to tell you about?

You need to tell us about any changes that may affect your benefit.

For example:

Changes in other types of benefit:

• if you or your partner stop receiving:

Changes in other types of benefit:

• if you or your partner stop receiving:

• Income Support;
• Jobseekers Allowance; or
• Pension Credit.

• or any other state benefit you or your partner may be receiving.

Changes in your or your partner's income:

• wages;
• Tax Credits;
• maintenance payments;
• occupational/private pensions; or
• any other income.

People who live with you:

• anyone comes to live with you;
• if someone lives with you, any changes in their income; or 
• a child leaves school.

Bank accounts, savings and investments:

• You must tell us if there are any changes in your:

• bank accounts;
• savings; or
• stocks and shares.

Rent:

• You must tell us if:

• your rent is increased or decreased;
• the services included in your rent change; or
• the property you live in changes in any way.

Other changes:

• You must tell us if you:

• move;
• change landlord;
• live away from home; or
• become a student.

The above only lists some of the changes you need to notify us of. If you have a change of circumstance that is not covered, tell us anyway.

When do I have to tell you about any changes?

You have one calendar month to tell us of the change happening otherwise you may lose benefit.

• If you tell us the change happening within one calendar month, we normally re-calculate your benefit entitlement from the Monday following the date the change happened.
• If you leave it longer than one calendar month, we can only recalculate your entitlement from the Monday following the date you tell us.
• If your change in circumstances means you may get less benefit you should tell us straight away. If you delay, we will recalculate your benefit entitlement from the date the change happened. You could be overpaid and have to pay us back.

What happens if I change address?

You need to tell us as soon as you move.

If you want to claim Housing and/Council Tax Benefit at your new address and your new home is still in Bromley contact the Council Tax and Housing Benefit department for a claim form.

If you move out of the borough you need to contact us immediately to avoid you or your landlord being overpaid.

If you are thinking of moving to a private rented property, you should apply for a Pre-Tenancy determination.  It will help you to decide whether you can afford the rent.

I'm starting work, how will that affect my Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit?

If you start work your benefit will change, so you need to tell us straightaway.

You also need to tell us:

• if you change your job;
• change the amount of hours you work;
• work overtime; or
• get a pay rise.

What happens if my Income Support/Jobseekers Allowance (income based) stops because I've started work?

If you have been getting Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance (income based) for sometime you may be entitled to an extended payment.

This means your Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit may continue for up to 4 weeks after you start work.  You need to tell your Jobcentre Plus office as soon as possible so that we can check if you’re entitled to an extended payment.

If you receive a low wage, you may still be entitled to some Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit.  We will need details of your income to calculate any entitlement.

If you want to make a claim based on your new income complete a change of circumstances form which you obtain by contacting the Council Tax and Housing Benefit department.

You might be entitled to Tax Credits.  If you are awarded a Tax Credit it will affect your Housing and/or Council Tax benefit so you need to tell us as straight away.

How do I tell you about a change in circumstance?

Either:

• write to us, giving your benefits reference ( which you will find at the top of your notification letters); or
• complete a “change in circumstances” form which can be obtained by contacting the Council Tax and Housing Benefit department.

You need to tell us what the change is and the date the change occurred.

We normally need proof of the change, so you will need to send us evidence of what’s changed (we only accept original documentation).  Do not delay in telling us about the change if you do not have proof, as you can send evidence when you receive it.

Examples of evidence:

• the notice of rent increase;
• the award letter about a new benefit, or a change in benefit;
• the Tax Credit award letter or notice advising of a change in your Tax Credits; or
• if you haven't got wage slips covering five weeks' or two months' work then send in what you have got. You can send us the others when you have them.

Do I need to tell anyone else?

Yes, you do.

If you get Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance (income based) or any other Social Security benefit you must tell the Department for Work and Pensions about the change.

If you have moved, we will check that you are getting these benefits at your new address so tell everyone as soon as possible as any delay may affect your Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit.

What happens if I have been paid too much benefit?

If you don't tell us about your change of circumstances you may be paid too much Housing and/or Council Tax benefit.

If you have been paid too much benefit, we will write and tell you there has been an overpayment and whether we intend to recover it.

If we have overpaid Council Tax Benefit:

• We will debit the overpayment from your Council Tax account. You will then be sent a new Council Tax bill, which will show your new balance including any adjustments for “excess benefit”. You can then make arrangements with the Council Tax office to pay.

If we have overpaid Housing Benefit:

• If you are still receiving benefit the overpayment will be recovered from your future benefit by weekly deductions. These deductions are known as “clawbacks”.
• If you are no longer entitled to benefit we will issue an invoice for the amount overpaid.
• If you are no longer entitled to benefit and we paid your landlord direct we may, in certain circumstances, send them an invoice.

What happens if I don't tell you about my change in circumstances?

If you don't tell us:

• We will go on paying the same rate of benefit as before. If your change reduces the amount of benefit you are entitled to you will be overpaid and we will recover the overpayment.
• You may lose benefit. If you take more than a month to tell us about a change that could increase your benefit we will only be able to apply the change from the Monday after the date you told us.

If you have good reasons for the delay we may be able to pay from the earlier date but this cannot be guaranteed.

• If we find out about your change in some other way, your claim may be suspended and we may ask our Investigation Team to check the situation.

Important: it is an offence if you do not tell us about a change in your circumstances that may affect your benefit. If you receive benefit to which you are not entitled you will have to pay it back and it may lead to a criminal prosecution.

Housing and Council Tax Benefit - What to do if your circumstances change (continued)

Housing and Council Tax Benefit - What to do if your circumstances change (continued)