IS20 - A guide to Income Support

Making a claim

Changes in circumstances

Income Support is awarded for an indefinite period. However, you must tell your social security office immediately if there are any changes in your circumstances that may affect your entitlement to Income Support. [Legislation (50)]

If anything changes and you do not report it, you might either lose benefit to which you are rightly entitled, or you might be overpaid benefit which would, in most circumstances, have to be repaid. If you are not sure if your Jobcentre Plus office or social security office needs to know about a particular change, please tell them anyway. [Legislation (51)]

If you are receiving Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit you must also notify your local council in writing immediately.

How to tell your Jobcentre Plus office or social security office about changes

Get in touch with your Jobcentre Plus office or social security office. The phone number and address are at the top of any letters that you have been sent. You can phone or write to the office to say what has changed. If you are signing on at a Jobcentre Plus office or Jobcentre you should tell them too.

If you write
Use form A9, if you have one, or write a letter. If you write a letter, give your reference number or National Insurance (NI) number. You can find it at the top of any letters that you have been sent about Income Support. Explain what has changed and the date of the change.

Previous / Contents / Next

back to top