Housing & Council Tax Benefits

Change of circumstances

Changes in your circumstances can mean a change to your Housing or Council Tax Benefit claim. You must tell us about any changes in your circumstances in writing as soon as the change takes place. If you have changed address then we would require you to complete a change of address ( PDF) form, all other changes can be notified on our other changes of circumstances ( PDF) form. Alternatively you could contact the Benefits Section for advice and the relevant form.

If the change will mean that we will pay you more benefit, we will only change your claim from the Monday after you tell us about it, unless you tell us within one month of the change.

If the change will mean that we will pay you less benefit, we will change your claim from the Monday after the change (this may mean you have been paid too much and we need it back).

Please note: Telling the benefits agency or inland revenue of a change does not mean that they will tell us. You must also tell us.

Some of the changes in circumstances that you must tell us about:

A change in your income, your partner's income or the income of any non-dependants who live with you

• if someone joins or leaves the household
• if you have to leave your home
• if you have to go into hospital or claim for someone who goes into hospital
• if you have to go into residential care or a nursing home

If you are paid too much Housing or Council Tax Benefit this is called an overpayment and you will have to pay it back. If you disagree with an overpayment you have the right to appeal – the appeals form and guidance notes can be found using the link on the right hand side of this page.