Report a change in your circumstances

Tell us about a change

If you don't tell us about a change and we pay you too much benefit, you may have to pay it back.

It is now a criminal offence for a person, dishonestly or without reasonable excuse, to fail to notify us of a change of circumstances that they are required by regulations to report. This applies to landlords as well as claimants.

Changes that impact your benefits

You must tell us about the following changes:

• you start or stop getting Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or Pension Credit
• you start or stop getting Working or Child Tax credits
• you are now receiving Carers Allowance because you're looking after a member of your household
• the amount of money you or your partner gets changes
• the money non-dependants get changes
• there are any other changes in the money people in your home get.  For example, someone starts getting Personal Independence Payments

You must also tell us if:

• you change your address
• there is a change in your rent
• the number of people in your home changes
• you, or your partner, go into hospital
• you, or your partner, become a student, or stop being a student
• the amount of savings or capital you have changes

If the change increases your entitlement

If you have a change in your circumstance which increases your entitlement to Housing Benefit and do not tell us within one month, the change will only be effective from the Monday following receipt of your notification in most instances.

If the change reduces your entitlement 

It will be applied from the date of the change and we will require you to repay any benefit which you have been overpaid.

If you temporarily leave your home

You can continue to receive Housing Benefit if you are temporarily away from home for up to 4, 13, 26 or 52 weeks, depending on your circumstances.

Find out more about temporary absence from the home

What you’ll need to provide

You must send original documents to prove any change in your income, savings, accommodation or the circumstances of other people in your home. 

If you cannot provide proof of the change now you should still report the change immediately.

Please give an indication of when you will be able to provide proof of the change, and send the proof as soon as you can. We will write to you if we require any additional information.

How to tell us about change of circumstance

Tell us about a change in you live in the:

• Barrow area
• Eden area
• South Lakeland area

Barrow area

If you need to tell us that you've moved house, you can complete our Housing and Council Tax Reduction change of address form (PDF, 389KB).

Please contact the Benefits Team if you have other changes in your circumstances. 

Email: benefits1@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 373 3300
Address: Barrow Town Hall, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 2LD

Eden area

Multiple and more detailed change of circumstance

South Lakeland area

Contact the Benefits Team if you have a change in your circumstances.

Email: benefits3@southlakeland.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 373 3300
Address: South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4DQ