Income Support
Report a change of circumstances
You need to report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount of Income Support.
Your claim might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a change straight away.
If you get more than one benefit, you’ll need to report your change to each benefit office.
You may be prosecuted or have to pay a £50 penalty if you give wrong or incomplete information, or do not report changes straight away.
What you need to report
This list does not cover every change you must report. Call Jobcentre Plus if you’re not sure whether you need to report a change.
Changes to personal details
You must report if:
- you change your bank account details
- you change your telephone number
- anybody starts or stops living with you
- your partner or someone you live with dies
- you or someone included on your claim changes their immigration status
- you or anyone who lives with you leaves Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) for any period of time
You must report if you, your partner, or anyone who lives with you:
- changes name
- changes address
- gets married or forms a civil partnership
- gets divorced or ends a civil partnership
- has a baby or gets pregnant
- goes into prison or legal custody
Changes to a medical condition or disability
You need to report if you or someone included on your claim:
-
has any changes to a medical condition or disability
-
goes into hospital, a care home or sheltered accommodation
-
starts or stops caring for someone
You should also report if anyone starts or stops getting Carer’s Allowance, Carer Support Payment or an extra amount of Universal Credit for caring for you.
Changes to work and education
Report if you, your partner, or anyone who lives with you:
- starts or stops education, training or an apprenticeship
- finds or finishes a job, or starts working different hours
- is involved in a trade dispute, or unable to work because of a trade dispute (for example, if there’s a strike)
Changes to income and benefits
You need to report if your household income goes up or down. Report it if you or anyone who lives with you:
- has a change to earnings
- gets paid back-pay (sometimes called ‘arrears’) for earnings from work
- gets a different amount of benefit
- has a change to the amount of pension they get
- has a change to the amount of any other money coming in (for example student loans or grants, sick pay or money from a charity)
Changes to savings or assets
You need to report if the total savings and assets in your household is more than £6,000. Report it if you or anyone who lives with you:
- has a change to the amount of savings or investments they own
- becomes the owner of any land, buildings or premises
- sells any land, buildings or premises
- gets a one-off payment such as inheritance or a lump sum payment
How to report
You can report a change of circumstances by:
- calling the Jobcentre Plus helpline for existing benefit claims
- writing to the Jobcentre Plus office that pays your Income Support - the address is on the letters you get about your Income Support
If your partner or someone you live with has died, you can tell Jobcentre Plus and other government organisations in one go using the Tell Us Once service.
Jobcentre Plus - existing benefit claims
Telephone: 0800 169 0310
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Welsh Language: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
If you’ve been paid too much
If you do not report a change straight away or give wrong or incomplete information, you might be paid too much. If you are, you might have to pay some of the money back.