Report a benefits change or appeal

If you are in receipt of Housing or Council Tax benefits and there is a change in any of your personal circumstances, you must let us know within one calendar month.

If you don't tell us within one calendar month and your benefit decreases, we will go back to the date of the change and create an overpayment which needs to be paid back. Whereas if your benefits could have increased, we will only apply the change to the Monday following our notification.

Changes that we must be notified about include:

  • a change of address
  • someone joining or leaving your household and you still wish to claim
  • a change to your income or capital
  • cancel your claim
  • self-employed earnings
  • absences

This isn't exhaustive so if in doubt let us know about the change and we will confirm if it affects your benefit.

Even if you notify the Department for Work and Pensions or the Inland Revenue of any change, you'll need to let us know separately.

Last updated 08 November 2024