Pensions: report a change in your circumstances

How to report a change in circumstances

You should telephone the Northern Ireland Pension Centre to report a change in circumstances. They will make any changes to your circumstances or details.

• Northern Ireland Pension Centre

Changes you need to report

You need to tell the Northern Ireland Pension Centre about any changes in your circumstance so that you're paid the right amount and get the right benefits. A change in circumstances could include changes to:

Your personal information

• your bank details
• a change of address
• your name
• your status as disabled or no longer disabled
• marital status
• a civil partnership
• the death of a partner or spouse
• voluntary work status
• your partner or spouse moves in with you or moves away

Your home

• you move home
• you or someone you claim for goes into hospital (see 'Going into hospital' for more information, below)
• you go into custody serving a court-imposed sentence
• you go into residential care or a nursing home
• your mortgage or loan is paid off or increases
• someone comes to live in your house

Your financial situation

• if you get any other benefits
• changes to your income
• changes to your savings or investments
• your occupational pension
• you start or stop doing paid work

Changes you don't need to report

If you receive Pension Credit and have been awarded an Assessed Income Period, you don’t need to tell the Northern Ireland Pension Centre about changes to your:

• savings and investments
• occupational pensions

If you move abroad

You should contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre if you move abroad.

Reporting a death

You need to tell the Northern Ireland Pension Centre when someone has died so they can stop paying their State Pension and Pension Credit.

You can do this by contacting the Bereavement Service.  The Bereavement Service can also stop the payment of any other benefits the deceased person was receiving, as well as helping relatives access any other benefits they may be entitled to as a result of the bereavement. 

Going into hospital - how it affects your benefits 

Your basic State Pension isn't affected by a stay in hospital. If you receive Pension Credit the amount you get may decrease if you are in hospital for more than four weeks.

What you need to report in change in circumstances

A change in your circumstances can affect how much you're paid and what benefits you can get.

You need to tell the Northern Ireland Pension Centre if there is a change in your circumstances and you're receiving any of the following:

• State Pension
• Additional State Pension
• Over 80 Pension
• Pension Credit
• Winter Fuel Payment

The Northern Ireland Pension Centre will check that you're being paid the right amount and getting the right benefits.