Housing benefit: change of circumstances
Everyone who claims housing benefit has a duty to tell the Tower
Hamlets benefits service about any changes to their circumstances,
or changes to the circumstances of anyone else who lives with them
if it could affect the amount of benefit awarded.
Landlords who receive benefit direct payments
must also report any changes which could affect the claimant’s
entitlement.
Examples of changes that you must
tell us about are given on the back of every benefit award
letter. The most common are listed below. If you are
unsure whether or not to report a change always report it
anyway.
You must tell us about any changes even if
your benefit is paid direct to your landlord and/or if you get
income support and/or jobseeker's allowance and/or employment and
support allowance. Pensioners getting guarantee credit should
report changes to the pension service.
It is your responsibility to ensure we have
the correct information
Time limits
Some changes could mean you will get more
housing benefit for example if your income decreases. These
are called beneficial changes. You must tell the benefits
service within one calendar month of the date of the
change. If you delay any longer any extra benefit due to you
will only be awarded from the Monday after you report the change
and will not normally be backdated.
Other changes will mean you get less
housing benefit. You must make sure you tell the benefits
service straight away. If you do not you will be paid too
much benefit which you will have to pay back. There are no time
limits on how far back the benefits service can go to
reclaim overpayments.
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How to report a change
Evidence required
We normally need to see evidence of the change
and will tell you what is acceptable. If you are going to one
of the council’s One Stop Shops please take original evidence
with you.
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Examples of changes that you must report
In all instances you will need to tell us the date of the
change.
If you or your partner:
- start work or start working more hours
- stop working or start working less hours
- have an increase in earnings (including self-employed earnings)
the amount and date it increased
- have a decrease in earnings (including self-employment
earnings) the amount and date it decreased
- stop or start getting statutory sick pay and the amounts and
dates of any changes
If you or your partner start/stop receiving:
- income support
- income-based jobseeker's allowance
- employment and support allowance
- a retirement pension - provide details of the
amount
- a private (works) pension or annuity - provide details
of the amount .
- contributions-based jobseeker's allowance, contributory
employment and support allowance, incapacity benefit, maternity
benefit/allowance, paternity benefit/allowances - provide
details of the amount
- child benefit or a guardian's allowance
- child tax credit or working tax credit - provide details
of the amount
Your rent:
- if you stop being charged rent
- if you change address
- if your rent and / or service charges increase or decrease.
Provide details of the amount. Council tenants do not
have to report changes in rent and tenancy.
Other changes:
- if you go into hospital, the date you went in and again when
you are discharged
- if you are taken into custody or held on remand or are released
and the dates and location
- if while in custody you are sentence to a period in prison
- if you go away from home and the dates and address you are
living at while you are away and your income while away
- if someone joins your household / comes to live with you and
the dates and their income
- if someone leaves your household / stops living with you and
the dates
- any births, deaths or marriages affecting your household
The above is not a full list. If you are
not sure whether to report a change or not report it anyway.
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How to contact us
Tower Hamlets operates as a centralised
benefit claims processing service and a dedicated benefits call
centre both based at the Town Hall where all postal, email and
telephone enquiries should be directed. Home visits can be arranged
if you are housebound and do not have anyone who can help you.
Benefits service
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London
E14 2BG
Tel: 020 7364 5001
Fax: 020 7364 7048
Email: benefits@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Personal callers should visit their nearest
One Stop Shop to
hand in claim forms, obtain receipts and have original evidence
photocopied.
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