Avoid benefit fraud: report changes in your circumstances
Make sure you get the right amount of benefits and avoid committing benefit fraud by reporting 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.
Keep your information up-to-date
If you deliberately withhold, give false information, or don’t report changes to your circumstances you could be committing benefit fraud.
Benefit fraud is a crime. If you are prosecuted, you could be fined or get a prison sentence.
You need to keep your information up-to-date to avoid potential benefit fraud.
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. Learn more information on over-payments of benefits and financial support.
Examples of changes you need to report
Changes are:
- 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 who you lived with dies
- starting or stopping caring for someone
- change of doctor
- changes to any 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.
If you are a parent or a guardian of a child aged 16 or under who is getting Disability Living Allowance, report changes to the Disability and Carers Service.
Bereavement benefits
If you get Bereavement Support Payment or Widowed Parent's Allowance, report changes to the Bereavement Service.
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 New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance, report changes to your local Jobs & Benefits office.
Reporting a death
If someone dies who had received benefits, contact the Bereavement Service.