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Change in circumstances

Tell us about your changes

If you do not get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction

Use our online form to tell us about changes that may bring your Council Tax discount or exemption to an end:

Complete the Council Tax change in household online form

If you get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction

Use our online form to tell us about your changes and upload the proof we need to see. We may ask you to provide original documents if we need to see them.

Use this form if you have previously given us your email address. If we do not have your email address use our online eform to tell us about your changes.

Tell us about your changes online

See our troubleshooting page if you are having issues using the online benefits portal.

If you are unable to use our online form please download, print and complete a:

What changes do we need to know about?

The law states that you must immediately tell us if there is a change in circumstances that affects your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.

Do not wait more than 1 month after the change takes place to tell us.

You must tell us:

  • if you or your partner get or apply for Universal Credit
  • about changes to your residency, rent and tenancy: for example your address, tenancy, rent or landlord
  • about changes to your own and your partner's income and benefits: for example Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseekers Allowance, earnings, self-employed income or any other benefit or income you receive
  • about other changes in your own and your partner’s circumstances: for example your name, employment, savings, Home Office immigration status or if you go on holiday or are away from your home
  • about changes relating to people who live with you: for example their name, job, benefits, income, savings or if someone moves in or out
  • about changes relating to your children: for example moving in or moving out of your home or if you start or stop paying childcare charges or the amount you pay changes

If you are not sure – tell us anyway

Make sure you tell us as soon as possible. If you don’t tell us on time you may not get what you are entitled to, you may get too much and will have to pay it back or your benefit could be stopped. You could even face criminal charges for fraud.

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Changes of address

If you are telling us about a change of address we need you to tell us:

  • your old address and the date you moved out
  • your new address and the date you moved in
  • the name of anyone you lived with at your old address who is not moving with you to the new address
  • the name of anyone living with you at your new address who did not live with you at the old address
  • the date your tenancy begins
  • your new rent (you must tell us if service charges or meals are included)
  • about any joint tenants
  • a description of the property you are moving into
  • where in the building you live (if you rent a room, bedsit or studio flat)

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Council Tax Support

If you only get Housing Benefit you need tell us that you want to apply for Council Tax support if have a change that means you could qualify for a Council Tax Reduction.

You could qualify for a Council Tax Reduction if:

  • you change address and are liable to pay Council Tax
  • you become liable for Council Tax at your current address
  • you or your partner stop working
  • you or your partner are awarded a disability related benefit

There are many other changes which could mean you qualify for Council Tax support. You should tell us you want to apply if you are not sure.

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People receiving Pension Credit

If you receive ‘Guarantee Credit’ or ‘Guarantee Credit plus Savings Credit’ you must tell us immediately about changes:

  • to your residency, rent and tenancy: for example your address, tenancy, rent or landlord
  • relating to the people who live with you: for example if someone moves in, if anyone you live with moves out or if their situation changes (e.g. they stop or start work)
  • to your own or your partner's circumstances: for example if you go on holiday or are away from your home

If you receive ‘Savings Credit’ only you must tell us immediately about changes:

  • to your residency, rent and tenancy: for example your address, tenancy, rent or landlord
  • to your own and your partner's income and savings: for example savings and investments of you and your partner, income of you and your partner (if not included in the Pension Credit assessment) or if you stop or start paying childcare charges or the amount you pay changes
  • relating to the people who live with you: for example if someone moves in, if anyone you live with moves out or if their situation changes (e.g. they stop or start work)
  • to your own or your partner's circumstances: for example if you go on holiday or are away from your home

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Page last updated:

15 December 2020