Annex 1: Change of circumstances

DWP does not publish a definitive list of changes of circumstance that must be reported by claimants, instead it relies on general statements and putting the onus on claimants to second guess if something needs to be reported. The list below is based on one published by Citizens Advice, with additions from other sources.1 2 3 4 5 6

Work, volunteering and pensions

  • leaving a job
  • starting a job
  • start or stopping volunteering
  • start or ending an apprenticeship
  • become self-employed
  • reaches pension age
  • partner reaches pension age
  • earnings via self-employment

Finances

  • change Bank account
  • start claiming any other benefits
  • stop claiming any other benefits
  • get a one-off payment
  • new income not from work
  • savings increase over £6,000
  • savings increase over £16,000

Housing

  • rent increases or decreases
  • move home
  • someone moves in or out of the household
  • someone from the household goes to prison
  • planning to go abroad for any length of time

Relationships

  • partner moves in to household
  • split up with partner
  • getting married / starting a civil partnership
  • getting divorced / ending a civil partnership

Children

  • changes in who has primary responsibility for children
  • if a child becomes disabled
  • if a child leaves full-time education
  • if a child leaves home
  • if a child goes into care
  • if a child is born
  • if a child was born as part of a multiple birth
  • if a child was born as a result of non-consensual conception (including rape) or conceived when in a controlling or coercive relationship
  • changes in childcare provider

Education

  • someone from the household starts full-time education
  • someone from the household leaves full-time education

Health

  • become ill
  • have an illness caused by pregnancy
  • start treatment for cancer with chemotherapy or radiotherapy
  • have a terminal illness
  • become injured
  • go into hospital
  • leave hospital
  • go into a care home
  • leave a care home

Death

  • death of a partner
  • death of a child
  • death of someone who is being cared for
  • death of anyone living in the household

Immigration status

  • loss of right to reside
  • became a student and did not get medical insurance
  • unemployed and looking for a job for more than 6 months
  • changes to immigration status

Personal information

  • change of name
  • change of gender
  • change of email address
  • change of phone number

  1. HM Government, “Benefits: report a change in your circumstances”, GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/report-benefits-change-circumstances, retrieved 26th October 2019 ↩

  2. Citizens Advice, “Check if a change affects your Universal Credit”, Citizens Advice website, https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/what-youll-need-to-do-on-universal-credit/check-if-a-change-affects-your-universal-credit/, retrieved 26th October 2019 ↩

  3. Department for Work and Pensions, “What you need to do on Universal Credit”, Understanding Universal Credit website, https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/new-to-universal-credit/your-responsibilities/, retrieved 26th October 2019 ↩

  4. Department for Work and Pensions, “Families with more than 2 children: claiming benefits”, GOV.UK, 6th April 2017, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-benefits-for-2-or-more-children, retrieved 11th October 2019 ↩

  5. HM Government, “Universal Credit: Report a change of circumstances”, GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/changes-of-circumstances, retrieved 26th October 2019 ↩

  6. Department for Work and Pensions, “Your home page and statement (Universal Credit full service)”, YouTube, 23rd June 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGOVGQPmVlA ↩