A Change in your Circumstances
What do
I do if I do not agree with the decision made on my claim?
If you are of working age or over 60 and NOT
in receipt of Pension Credit, any change that may affect your
benefit must be reported immediately to the benefit
section.
Examples include:
If you, or anyone in your home:
- Stops or starts receiving Income Support or
Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Stops or starts working or the number of
hours worked or wages change
- Stops or starts getting any benefit, pension,
tax credit or allowance
- Has any other change of income or
savings
- Gets married, separated or dies
- Comes to live in, or leaves your home
- If your child leaves school
- If you or your partner moves home or change
rooms in a house you share with other people.
Please complete the change of
circumstances form (PDF) to notify the Benefit section of your
change. Alternatively please contact the benefit section for a
form.
If you do not report changes which would
increase your benefit within a month of the change you may lose out
on benefit. This is because your benefit will only increase
from the Monday after you told the council about your change if it
is notified late.
If the change would reduce your benefit then
your claim will always be amended from the Monday following the
actual date of your change of circumstances.
It is important that any change of
circumstances is reported to the Council immediately to avoid an
overpayment of benefit occurring.
To see how your change in circumstances may
affect your benefit please use the Benefits
Calculator.
If you are aged 60 or over and in receipt of
Pension Credit Guarantee, you must tell us about the following
changes:
- Any absence from your home, which is likely
to be for more than 13 weeks
- If a non-dependant moves in or out of your
home.
- If the income of a non-dependant changes
- Rent increase (not applicable if you are a
Portsmouth City Council tenant)
- Change to your tenancy conditions (not
applicable if you are a Portsmouth City Council Tenant
Please complete this form to notify the Benefit
section of your change
If you are in receipt of the Pension Savings
Credit only, you must tell us about all of the changes listed under
Pension Guarantee Credit and the following:
- An increase or decrease in any Child Tax
Credit
- If you start or stop getting Child
Benefit
- Your capital exceeds £16,000 (for more
information on capital and savings)
- Changes to the income or capital of partner
not included in the Pension credit claim.
Please complete this form to notify the Benefit
section of your change
All other changes should be reported to the
Pension Service who will inform Havant Borough Council if it
effects your entitlement to Housing and or Council Tax Benefit.
What do
I do if I do not agree with the decision made on my claim?