Proof

We need to see proof of some of the things you tell us about. There is a checklist at the end of the form to help you. If you are not sure if we need to see proof of something, get in touch with us. We will tell you what we need to see. We cannot pay you benefit until we have seen the proof we have asked for.

If you do not have the proof, still send in your form, we will write to you and ask you for the proof that we need.

Changes you must tell us about in writing

Tell us straight away if:

• any of your children leaves school, leaves home, or stops getting child benefit;
• anyone moves into or out of your home (including lodgers and sub-tenants);
• your income or the income of anyone living with you, including benefits, changes;
• your capital or savings change by more than £200;
• you or anyone living with you gets, changes or leaves a job, goes on a Youth Training Scheme, goes into hospital or a nursing home, goes into prison, or becomes a student;
• your rent changes;
• you move;
• you or your partner are going to be away from home for more than a month;
• you receive any decision from the Home Office; or
• anything you have told us about changes.

If you are getting the new Pension Credit you only have to tell us about the following changes:

• If you move
• If anyone else moves into or out of your home
• If your rent goes up or down
• If you are likely to be away from your home for 13 weeks or more
• If there is a change in the income of any of your non-dependants

If you are not getting the new Pension Credit but are getting the new Savings Credit you need to tell us about the above changes plus any of the following changes:

• If your total savings are likely to go above £16,000
• If there are any changes in the amount of Child Benefit or Child Tax Credit that you get

You must tell us about these changes in writing - a phone call is not enough.

If you don't tell us about these changes within one month, you may lose money you are entitled to or you may get too much benefit.

You must make sure that you tell us about these changes. Don't rely on someone else to pass the message on.

It is an offence not to tell us about any change of circumstances that affects your benefit. We may take court action against you and if we pay you too much benefit, you may have to pay it back.

We will use the information you give in this form and in any supporting evidence you send us, to process your claim for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Council Tax.

We may pass the information to other agencies or organisations such as the Department for Work and Pensions, the Employment Service and the Inland Revenue, as allowed by the law.

By law, we may check the information you have provided, or information provided about you by someone else, against other information we already have.

We may also ask other agencies, organisations, local authorities or government departments to give us information they have about you to check it is accurate, prevent or detect crime and protect public funds.