Change of circumstances
What if there is a change in my circumstances?
You have a legal duty to tell us if you have any changes in circumstances which may affect your Council Tax Reduction. You have 21 days to tell us from the date the change occurred. If you leave it longer than 21 days to notify us of a change, you may be committing a criminal offence.
Examples of some of the changes you should tell us about are:
If you or your partner:
- start or stop receiving any benefit or income including tax or pension credits;
- start or stop work or change employment;
- have a pay rise or any other increase in income including tax credits;
- have a change in your rate of pay or the number of hours worked;
- leave the property to live elsewhere;
- are admitted, or discharged, from hospital;
- have a change in the amount of childcare costs you pay.
We also need you to tell us when:
- someone leaves or joins your household;
- your increase your family by the birth of a child, or you stop receiving Child Benefit for one or more of your children;
- you gain or lose a partner (for example, marry/cohabit/separate);
- anyone living with you starts, or stops, receiving Income Support/Job Seeker's Allowance (Income Based)/Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related), starts, or stops work, or has an increase/decrease in income. This includes any non-dependant living with you.
You should write to us as soon as possible once you know about the change and tell us exactly what has changed. If you have any proof of the change you should send it with your letter (but do not delay writing to us if you are waiting for proof – you can send the proof later). You can also call in person at the Town Hall, Penrith, Cumbria, to report a change, but you must make all notifications in writing.
See directions to the Town Hall, Penrith, Cumbria
Forms
See our benefit review form (PDF: 237Kb / 8 pages)
See our change of circumstances form (PDF: 215Kb / 15 pages)