Article: Housing benefit change in circumstances Article Body If your circumstances change you must tell us about it straight away as this could affect the amount of benefit that you are entitled to. The time limit for reporting a change in circumstance is one calendar month from the date of change. If you are late in reporting the change in your circumstances you could lose benefit. Here are some of the changes that you should tell us about: if you or your partner stop receiving Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit changes to your income or the income for anyone who lives with you someone moving in or out of your house if you move address (this includes moving flats or rooms in the same building) if your Tax Credit changes if any of your children leave school changes to the amount of rent that you are charged changes to your savings These are only examples of the changes you need to tell us about. If you are not sure if you need to tell us about a change or need to know how your benefit will be affected by a change, please ring the benefits helpline 01226 774743. How do I notify you about a change? Changes in circumstance can be notified in a number of ways: E-mail: benefitassessments@barnsley.gov.uk Telephone: 01226 774743 (we will let you know if you also need to put this in writing) Write to: Benefits, Taxation and Welfare Rights Division, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG In person at any of our Barnsley Connects office Do I need to provide any evidence of the change? If you have proof of the change please send this to us. If you don't have the proof yet, tell us about the change straight away and let us know when you expect to receive it. Next steps When you have told us about any changes in your circumstances we will work out whether it affects your housing benefit claim and write to you with your revised benefit award. This will generally take no longer than ten working days once we have received all the required information from you. Housing Benefit on Two Homes We can normally only pay Housing Benefit for the property that you live in as your home. However, in special circumstances, we can pay Housing Benefit for two homes. We can pay Housing Benefit for two homes for up to four weeks when: you have moved into your new home; and the liability to make payments on both properties is unavoidable. We can also pay Housing Benefit for your previous home for up to four weeks, even if you do not have to pay for rent for your new home when: your have moved in to your new home; and the liability to make payments on your previous home is unavoidable. You can apply for Housing Benefit on two homes or your previous home by downloading and completing the application for benefit on two homes. Application forms Housing and council tax benefit application form Housing and council tax benefit application form - guidance notes Housing benefit - application for benefit on two homes Change in circumstances form Change of address form Related documents Service standards Legislation Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 Council Tax Benefit Regulations 2006 Housing Benefit (persons that have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006 Council Tax Benefit (persons that have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006 Data Protection Act 1998 Contact details Enquiries and requests for application forms can be made as follows: E-mail: benefitassessments@barnsley.gov.uk Telephone the benefits helpline: 01226 774743 Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 4.30pm Fax: 01226 774733 By writing or sending documents to: Benefits, Taxation and Welfare Rights Division, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG By personal visit to any Barnsley Connects office Additional information To learn more about our compliments, comments and complaints process please see general complaints. Related services Council Tax Welfare Rights Barnsley Connects Homelessness and Housing Advice View your benefit detaills online Benefit calculator Other useful websites DirectGov-Money,Tax and Benefits Valuation Office Agency (Rent Service) Citizens Advice Bureau Data Protection We will use the information you give on the housing benefit application form and any supporting evidence you send us to process your claim for housing benefit. We may pass the information on to the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC, as allowed by law. We may also use the information to tell you what other welfare benefits you are entitled to. We may check the information provided by you, or information about you provided by someone else, against other information we hold. We may also ask other agencies, organisations, local authorities or government departments to give us information they have.