Benefits: report a change in your circumstances
To make sure you get the right amount of benefits, you need to report any changes to your circumstances. Your claim might be reduced or stopped if you don’t report a change straight away or you give incorrect information. If you deliberately don’t report changes, you are committing benefit fraud.
Changes you need to report
Changes you may need to report include:
- change of name
- change of address
- change of bank account details
- going into hospital, a care home or sheltered accommodation
- travelling or going abroad
- getting married or divorced
- starting or ending a civil partnership
- moving in with a partner
- people moving into or out of the place you live (for example, your partner, a child or lodger)
- your rent going up or down
- finding or finishing a job, or working different hours
- your income going up or down
- starting or stopping education, training or an apprenticeship
- having a baby
- if you become ill
- changes to your medical condition or disability
- your partner or someone you live with dying
- starting or stopping caring for someone
- change of doctor
- changes to your pension, savings, investments or property
- inheriting or unexpectedly coming into money / capital
- changes to other money you get (for example, student loans or grants, sick pay or money you get from a charity)
- changes to the benefits you or anyone else in your house gets
- you or your partner getting back-pay (sometimes called ‘arrears’) for salary or earnings you’re owed
- volunteering
If you claim Child Benefit you also need to report changes to your child’s circumstances.
How to report changes
Who you tell depends on which benefits you get. If you get more than one benefit, you’ll need to report your change to more than one organisation.
Universal Credit
You must report changes by signing in to your Universal Credit online account .
Personal Independence Payment
Report changes to the Personal Independence Payment Centre.
Employment and Support Allowance
Report changes to the Employment and Support Allowance Centre.
Incapacity benefit
Report changes to the Incapacity Benefit branch.
Carer's Allowance
Report changes online or contact the Disability and Carers Service.
Other disability and carer benefits
If you get Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Carer’s Credit, report changes to the Disability and Carers Service.
Bereavement benefits
If you get Bereavement Support Payment, report changes to the Bereavement Service.
If you get Widowed Parent's Allowance, report changes to the Bereavement Benefits section.
Housing Benefit
Report changes to the Housing Executive.
Child Benefit
Report changes using the Child Benefit online service or contact the Child Benefit Office.
State Pension and Pension Credit
Report changes to the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.
War Pension
Report changes to Veterans UK.
All other benefits
For all other benefits, including Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance, report changes to your local Jobs and Benefits office.
Reporting a death
If someone dies when they’re receiving benefits, contact the Bereavement Service.
If you don’t report changes
If you don’t report a change or mistake, you might be paid too much and you may have to pay the money back. Further information is available on over-payments of benefits and financial support.
If you deliberately don’t report changes, you are committing benefit fraud. If you are prosecuted, you could be fined or get a prison sentence.