Housing benefits

What kind of change in circumstances should be reported

If you receive housing benefit and/or council tax reduction, you have a duty to report changes in your circumstances. You must tell us in writing as soon as possible if:

• your childcare costs increase or decrease, as this will ensure the correct disregard is applied to your claim
• your (or your partner's) entitlement to income support or income-based jobseekers' allowance ends
• a child or young person ceases to be a member of the family
• you change address
• your rent changes and you are the tenant of a private landlord
• there is a change in the status of non-dependants in the household for council tax reduction claims or housing benefit claims.
• your income and/or capital changes
• there is a change relating to the payment of housing benefit direct to your landlord
• you receive alternative maximum council tax reduction and there is a change to the number of adults in your home, a change in their gross income or they stop receiving income support or income-based jobseekers allowance

If you don't report a change in your circumstances you could lose benefits that you are entitled to. You may also have to repay benefits that have been overpaid.

For more information, please email benefitsteam@northlan.gov.uk