Change of circumstances

You should only use this form if you've moved from one address in Middlesbrough to another address in Middlesbrough, and you're currently claiming Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.

If you've moved into Middlesbrough from another area, you'll need to make a new claim.

Complete the online change of address form.

Please make sure you have the following details available when you complete the change of address form:

• your claim reference number – this is a 7 digit number starting with a 3, e.g. 3999999, which is shown on the letters you receive about your benefit
• your National Insurance number
• the amount of rent you have to pay - this will be on your tenancy agreement

We'll need to see your tenancy agreement in order to pay you Housing Benefit at your new address. You'll need to upload your tenancy agreement when you make your application.

Please don't submit the change of address form until you've physically moved into your new property.

Do you want to claim overlapping benefit?

If you're being charged rent at your old address for a period after you've moved out, you may want to complete an overlapping benefit form.

Overlapping benefit means you may be paid enough benefit to cover your rent at both your new address and your old address.

To claim overlapping benefit, you'll need to have good reasons why you couldn't stay at your old address until the end of your tenancy. You'll also need to provide proof from your previous landlord of the date you're being charged rent up until.

Is your new landlord a friend or relative of you or your partner?

If so, we need to be sure that your tenancy is based on the kind of commercial agreement you'd expect if the landlord and tenant didn't know each other.

To help with this decision we'll need to see completed tenant commerciality forms and landlord commerciality forms.

If you, or someone in your household, has had a change in their income, you'll need to inform us.

This can include changes like:

• a change in the DWP benefit you receive
• a change to employment, including hourly rate and working hours
• ending work and claiming a DWP benefit
• confirming that you currently have no income

Please make sure you provide any relevant evidence, e.g. contract of employment, payslips or a DWP letter, when prompted.

If you're reporting a change in income and currently have no supporting documentation to provide, we can only provisionally assess your claim based on the details you give us. If you're paid too much benefit because you've given us incorrect information, we may recover the overpayment from you.

Do you want to claim an extended payment?

If you've started work and were previously receiving benefit for 26 weeks or more with no breaks, you may be entitled to an extended payment of 4 weeks. This means you'll continue to get benefit for 4 weeks after you've cancelled your claim and started work.

To apply, you'll need to complete the started work and request an extended payment form.

Do you need to provide payslips?

We'll need to see the first 5 weekly payslips if you're paid weekly, 3 fortnightly payslips if you're paid every fortnight, or 1 monthly / four-weekly payslip if you're paid monthly or every four weeks.

If you don't receive payslips from your employer, you can download an employers earnings certificate and ask them to complete, sign and stamp it. Once completed, you'll need to send it to us using the benefits enquiry form.

Are you self employed?

If you have audited accounts, you can send them using the benefits enquiry form.

If you, your partner, or household member, have recently set up your business, please provide an estimate of your income, covering at least 13 weeks. You'll need to keep proper records of your income and expenditure, which we'll ask to see later.

Complete the self employed earnings form.

Alternatively, you can report your change in income through the Citizens Access Benefits system.

You'll need to let us know if one of the following changes occurs:

• someone moves in or out of your household
• Child Benefit or Child Tax Credits end for anyone in your household
• anyone in your household has a baby

Let us know using the report a change in household form.

If someone moves out, you'll need to tell us the date they moved and a forwarding address for them.

If someone moves in, whether it's a partner or anyone else, we'll need to know the date they moved into the property, as well as seeing proof of their identity and income. To prove their identity, you'll need to provide original documents which can be verified by a benefits adviser.

If a joint tenant moves in or out of the property, you'll need to tell us the date they moved in or out, and provide evidence of your new tenancy agreement to confirm the amount of rent charged.

If you stop receiving Child Benefit or Child Tax Credits for a member of your household, please tell us what that person is now doing - i.e. a full time student, claiming a benefit, or working, and provide proof of their new status (e.g. a student exemption form, or payslips).

If you or anyone in your household has recently had a baby, you'll need to tell us as it may affect the amount of Housing Benefit you receive. You'll need to provide proof of the baby's birth certificate if you're not yet receiving Child Benefit or Child Tax Credits for them.

Alternatively, you can report your change in household through the Citizens Access Benefits system.

If you receive notification from your landlord that the amount of rent you're charged is increasing or decreasing, you'll need to show us proof, and confirm the date of the change.

You can report a change of rent using the benefits enquiry form. You'll need to attach proof of your new rent charge.

Alternatively, you can report your change in rent through the Citizens Access Benefits system.

If your Housing Benefit is currently paid directly into your bank account and you want to change the account it's paid into, please use the Citizens Access Benefits system.

If you can't access your Citizens Access Benefits account, you can ask us to make the change to your account for you. Use the benefits enquiry form to request a change in where benefit is paid.

Three options for payment

If you want your benefits to be paid into an account which isn't yours or your partner's, please fill in a 'Three options for payment' form (DOCX).

Local Housing Allowance safeguard form

If you want your Housing Benefit to be paid directly to your landlord, you'll need to provide proof that you're not able to manage your own financial affairs. Please fill in a 'Local Housing Allowance safeguard' form.

If your personal details change, you'll need to tell us.

You can report a change in personal details using the benefits enquiry form.

A change in your personal details could be either of the following:

• a change in your name - through marriage, divorce or deed poll
• a change in your personal status - i.e. becoming, or no longer being, a student or carer

You'll need to provide proof of the changes, e.g. a marriage certificate.

You should also inform us if the information we hold about you is incorrect, e.g. your name is spelled wrong or your date of birth is incorrect.

Alternatively, you can report your change in personal details through the Citizens Access Benefits system.

The amount of capital you have can affect the amount of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction you're entitled to. We'll need to see bank statements for all accounts you have, to show your total capital.

If you're of working age and not receiving income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or Income Support, your entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction will be affected if you have capital of £6,000 or more.

If you're of pensionable age and aren't receiving Pension Credit Guaranteed Credit, your entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction will be affected if you have capital of £10,000 or more.

For people of any age (unless you're receiving Pension Credit Guaranteed Credit), you'll no longer be entitled to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction if your capital reaches £16,000 or more. You'll therefore need to provide proof of your increased capital and the date you reached this limit.

Report a change in capital.

Alternatively, you can report your change in capital through the Citizens Access Benefits system.