The Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987

Duty to notify changes of circumstances

75.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), if at any time between the making of a claim and its determination, or during the benefit period, there is a change of circumstances which the claimant, or any person by whom or on whose behalf sums payable by way of housing benefit are receivable, might reasonably be expected to know might affect the claimant’s right to, the amount of or the receipt of housing benefit, that person shall be under a duty to notify that change of circumstances by giving notice in writing to the designated office.

(2) The duty imposed on a person by paragraph (1) does not extend to changes in–

(a) the amount of rent payable to a housing authority;

(b) the amount of rates payable to a rating authority;

(c) the age of the claimant or that of any member of his family or of any non-dependants;

(d) these Regulations;

(e) in the case of a claimant on income support, any circumstances which affect the amount of income support but not the amount of housing benefit to which he is entitled, other than the cessation of that entitlement to income support.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2)(c) or (e) a claimant shall be required by paragraph (1) to notify the designated office of any change in the composition of his family arising from the fact that a person who was a member of his family is now no longer such a person because he ceases to be a child or young person.