Changes in circumstances - Rent
Changes to benefit rules mean that you
no longer have to fill in a renewal form every year. However, we will
check your claim details and benefit entitlement by phone, by letter or
by visiting your home. This is to make sure that you continue to
receive the correct amount of benefit. If you fail to respond to these
enquiries, your benefit will be stopped.
Any
changes in your circumstances or the circumstances of anybody in your
household may affect your benefit. You must tell the Revenues and
Benefits Service about the change as soon as it happens, even if it is
only for a short time. To do this, you will need to give them all the
supporting documents when you tell them about the change. It is
essential that you do this. If you do not, they will have to delay
adjusting your claim and you may lose benefits.
The following are some of the kinds of changes that you should tell the Revenues and Benefits office about straight away:
- your income or the income of anyone living with you changes
- you or your partner no longer receive Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance (you must tell the office about the change even if your benefit is only stopped for a short period, for example, if you go on holiday)
- the amount of your savings changes, unless it stays below £3,000 in total (if you are aged over 60 the limit is £6,000)
- your children leave school or move away from your home
- anyone moves into or out of your home, including lodgers, subtenants or adult members of the family
- anyone living with you becomes a student, goes on Youth Training Scheme or Manpower Services Commission courses, or gets, changes or leaves a job
- you or your partner are in hospital for more than six weeks
- you move
- you are away from home or your landlord changes
- you receive any decision from the Home Office, or
- there are any other changes which may affect your Council Tax Benefit or Housing Benefit
If
you do not tell the Revenue and Benefits Service about any of these
changes, you may lose money which you are entitled to. Or, you may
receive too much benefit which you will have to pay back.