Does the government know when you change address? Re housing benefit

SimonStevens1

I am thinking about moving flat to get away from nasty people. 
But I dont want to interrupt the flow of housing benefit, can I just move and not tell them and will it still keep getting paid in as per normal?
Or is the government alerted somehow? When you switch property? And then they stop it? How do they know?

The housing benefit would be paid to a new landlord and is the same amount 

tacpot12

You can't not tell them; you are required to tell them as a condition of receiving the benefit. They will get to know because you will have to ask them to change the name of the landlord, and you will have to tell them of your change of address if you want to receive mail about other benefits, especially if you receive Council Tax Reduction. (I assume you are receiving other benefits).

I can't see why your Housing Benefit should be interrupted providing you are moving within the same local authority; you can even have HB on two properties for up to four weeks to avoid a gap, providing that there was no way to avoid this.  See here: Claiming benefits for 2 homes - Shelter England 
Fear of violence is specifically mentioned in this advice. 

poppy12345

When i last moved house it took my local council just over 2 weeks to sort my housing benefit out. I know all local councils are different but you have no other option but to tell them.

Alice_Holt

If you don't tell the Housing Benefit dept of your local council, how would they know to pay your new landlord?
If you don't tell the Housing Benefit dept of your local council, they would surely continue to make direct payments to your old landlord.
If you don't tell the Housing Benefit dept of your local council, you would soon be in rent arrears with your new landlord. 
If you don't tell the Housing Benefit dept of your local council, you would then face homelessness.

https://www.gov.uk/housing-benefit/report-a-change-of-circumstances

I assume you are moving to another property that pays council tax to the same council ?   
If not you will have to claim Universal Credit to get help with housing costs.

KatrinaWaves

Of course you have to tell them. 

What do you think happens if someone else moves in and claims for rent help at your old address? They just blindly pay two people to live at the same address and never question it?

calcotti

Alice_Holt said:

If you don't tell the Housing Benefit dept of your local council, how would they know to pay your new landlord?
If you don't tell the Housing Benefit dept of your local council, they would surely continue to make direct payments to your old landlord.

Housing Benefit may of course be being paid to the OP rather than their landlord.

OP, if you don't advise you local authority of a relevant change you will be committing benefit fraud. 

Alice_Holt

calcotti said:

Alice_Holt said:

If you don't tell the Housing Benefit dept of your local council, how would they know to pay your new landlord?
If you don't tell the Housing Benefit dept of your local council, they would surely continue to make direct payments to your old landlord.

Housing Benefit may of course be being paid to the OP rather than their landlord.

OP, if you don't advise you local authority of a relevant change you will be committing benefit fraud. 

       Yes, that was an assumption of my behalf. 

     I was trying to emphasis
     - that claimants should really be aware of the obligations that are placed on them when in receipt of benefits:
    - and what can go wrong when these obligations are breached (such as not informing relevant change of circumstances).

      Ignoring basic obligations can lead to some very, very difficult outcomes for claimants. 

calcotti

Alice_Holt said:    I was trying to emphasis 

     - that claimants should really be aware of the obligations that are placed on them when in receipt of benefits:
    - and what can go wrong when these obligations are breached (such as not informing relevant change of circumstances).

      Ignoring basic obligations can lead to some very, very difficult outcomes for claimants. 

Completely agree. 

SimonStevens1

The money is paid directly to me not my landlord it just goes into my current account, so no name would need to be changed , it would just keep being paid in monthly like it always has been 

SimonStevens1

Ok so its fraud with big consequences 

poppy12345

SimonStevens1 said:

The money is paid directly to me not my landlord it just goes into my current account, so no name would need to be changed , it would just keep being paid in monthly like it always has been 

As has already been advised, when you move house you need to report the changes that you're no longer living in your current house. Then start a new claiming for your new house. If you're moving to a new local council then you will need to claim Universal Credit.

All changes must be reported, as stated on the bottom of all letters from your local council and DWP. If you don't report it, it could be classed as benefit fraud.