After you have reported a benefit change
If the change means you have been paid too much benefit or support we will ask you to pay it back to us, in most cases. It is therefore in your own interests to tell us of any changes straight away.
After reporting a change in circumstances for Housing Benefit and or Council Tax Reduction we will:
- assess the information
- request any necessary supporting documents
We will then send you a letter with your new decision. This decision will state if your benefit amount will change, the date the change takes effect, and if you have an overpayment that you may have to pay back.
It is important to report changes as soon as possible, as delays can result in you having to repay benefits you were overpaid.
We can sometimes suspend your benefit so that you do not continue to be paid too much whilst we wait for your information or evidence.
Changes which increase your benefit or support
If you tell us within a month when you have a change which increases the amount of help you are entitled to, we will increase your benefit and support from when your change happened.
If you delay, we will usually only increase your benefit and support from the Monday after you tell us about your change and you will miss out on money you could have been entitled to. You should tell us if you have a good reason for any delay, and we will consider whether we can apply your changes from an earlier date.
Changes which decrease your benefit or support
If your change decreases or stops your benefit, we will always change your award from when your change happened. This means you may be asked to pay back an overpayment.
Telling us about your changes promptly helps us to minimise the amount we have to ask you to pay back.
If you deliberately fail to report a change, we may decide that you have committed benefit fraud. You could end up with a criminal record, a fine, or even a prison sentence.