If your circumstances have changed since you applied for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support you must tell us straight away.
Tell us about a change in your circumstances or change of address
Tell us when you've moved into a property
Currently, a helpline is available for those who might need help filling in or making applications. If you need help with your application please phone the One Stop Shops team.
Changes that you need to tell us about
We need to know about changes in your circumstances and anyone who lives with you.
Some changes may mean you have to claim Universal Credit instead of remaining on Housing Benefit. If you make a claim for Universal Credit and were receiving Housing Benefit on the date you claimed Universal Credit, you will be awarded an extra two weeks of Housing Benefit entitlement.
Changes we need to know about:
- change of address
- income, if it goes up or down, or you move from one type of benefit to another (for example, incapacity benefit to a pension)
- savings or capital
- if anyone who may not always live with you, starts receiving Carers Allowance for either you or your partner
- starting work or changing jobs
- if anyone goes into hospital
- anyone joins or leaves your household (for example, the birth of a baby or a non-dependant moves in/out)
- starting or leaving full-time education
- the terms of your tenancy or the rent you pay to a private landlord changes
- if anyone starts getting a private pension (including from Wirral Council)
If you do not tell us about changes immediately, we may not be able to backdate the change if it leads to an increase in your Housing Benefit.
We usually recalculate your Benefit from the Monday after the date the change occurred if the change leads to a reduction in your entitlement. This means we may ask you to pay back any benefit which you were not entitled to.
Wirral Council may take action against you if you give us information that is incorrect or incomplete.
Report a change in your childcare costs
To report a change in your childcare costs, you will need to do both of the following:
-
Ask your employer to complete the Childcare disregard employer form
-
Ask your childcare provider to complete the Childcare disregard childcare provider form
Proof you may need to provide
You can be asked to provide proof of any changes in circumstances.
Find out how to submit any proof that you need to provide
Benefit calculators
Use the benefit calculator for an estimation of how much you may be entitled to.
Use the room calculator to work out how many bedrooms you may be entitled to claim Housing Benefit for.
Average processing time
We aim to process the changes to your account within 4 weeks.
Help managing money and debt
Citizens Advice Wirral can offer help and advice if you are having difficulty paying bills or struggling with other debts.