Benefits - changes of circumstance
If you receive housing benefit / council tax reduction and you have a change in your circumstances, you need to let us know straight away. If you don't you may not receive all that you are entitled to, or you might receive too much which you will need to pay back. To report a change of circumstances you can use this online form.
Changes you need to tell us about
The following are examples of the types of changes you should tell us about:
Household
If any of your children leave school, start work, or have any other changes in their income
If anyone comes to live with you or if anyone leaves - including lodgers and tenants
If you have a student child who normally studies away from home and they return home during the vacation period
If you or your partner go into hospital, tell us the date and also tell us when you get home
If someone living with you stops or starts work or has any other changes in their income
If you stop or start caring for a disabled person
If you marry, separate or divorce
If you have a new baby
If you are paying child care costs or any changes to child care costs.
Going Abroad
Tell us if you, your partner or both of you leave the country for any significant amount of time
Tell us before you go and as soon as you get back
Tell is if you receive a decision from the Home Office regarding your immigration status.
Income/Savings - Pensions and Benefits
If you or your partner starts or stop getting child benefit, child tax credit, working tax credit, pension credit, jobseekers allowance or any other state benefit
If you or your partner stop or start work, even if you get less money
If you or your partner's wages go up or down
If your hours increase or decrease
If you or your partner's savings change
You receive any additional monies or payment
Any changes in payments received from sub-tenants, lodgers or boarders.
Rent
If the rent you are charged by your landlord changes
If you have a change of address.
You should tell us immediately of the change happening, if you don't you could lose benefit. If you don't tell us on time we may go on paying the same rate of benefit as before and this may be wrong.
We may need to change the amount we pay you, or stop your benefit completely because of a change. We will expect you to pay back any benefits that you are overpaid.
If you take too long to tell us of a change that would give you more benefit, we can only increase your benefit from the Monday after the date you told us.
If there are good reasons that explain your delay we may be able to pay the extra money from an earlier date, but we cannot guarantee that.
If you don't report a change that you know affects your benefit, and don't have a good reason for this, you are committing a criminal offence, just as if you gave us false information or concealed the truth.
How do I tell you about my changes?
It is easy to let us know. You can call us on (01494)732077, email the office on benefits@chiltern.gov.uk or complete the form by clicking on the link below.
Don't be stung by an overpayment. Tell us about your changes.
