If your circumstances change it is your responsibility to let us know immediately.
If you do not tell us about these changes as soon as they occur, you may lose money you are entitled to, or you may get too much benefit. If we pay you too much benefit, you will have to pay it back.
What is a change in circumstances?
A change in circumstances happens when:
- Somebody moves in or out of your home
- Any of your children leave school or leave home
- Your income, or the income of anyone living with you, changes
- Your capital or savings change
- You, or anyone living with you, becomes a student, goes into hospital or a nursing home, goes into prison or goes onto a youth training scheme
- You, or anyone living with you, gets a job
- You, or anyone living with you, changes job
- You, or anyone living with you, leaves a job
- Your rent changes
- You move
When do I need to inform the Benefits Service that my circumstances have changed?
You should tell us as soon as the change happens.
If you tell us about a change that will result in less benefit being paid to you, we will usually amend your benefit from the Monday after the date on which your change in circumstances happened, regardless of when you tell us about the change.
If the change in your circumstances means that your benefit entitlement will be more than it was, the date you tell us about the change will be very important.
If you tell us about a change within one month of the date on which the change happened, and the change will mean you can get more benefit, we will usually amend your benefit from the time the change happened, as long as you send us proof. However, if you tell us about the change more than a month after the date on which it happened, we will only amend your benefit from the Monday after the date on which you tell us about the change. You must send us proof of the change.
How do the rules differ for people in receipt of pension credit?
If you are in receipt of pension credit (savings), you only need to tell us about changes to:
- Your rent/tenancy
- The income of any non-dependants living with you
- Your address if you move (either permanently or temporarily)
- The circumstances of your dependant children
- The amount of child tax credit or child benefit you receive
- Your amount of pension credit entitlement
- Your capital if it exceeds £16,000
- Your household (if someone moves in or out)
If you are in receipt of pension credit (guarantee), you only need to tell us about changes to:
- Your rent/tenancy
- The income of any non-dependants living with you
- Your address if you move (either permanently or temporarily)
- Your pension credit (guarantee), i.e. if your entitlement ceases
- Your household (if someone else moves in or out)
Other changes to your circumstances should be reported directly to:
The Pension Service
PO Box 8
Swansea
SA80 8AH
Phone: 0845 606 0265
If you need more information on changes in circumstances, please contact the Benefits Service.
If you want to report a change in your circumstances online, please follow the link on this page. Alternatively, please contact the Benefits Service.