sdp gateway ending dilemma

istanbul_2

sorry to be a pain , i have contacted my local housing association and they have told me that even if i move home locally the dwp can and may class this as a change of circumstances .! is there anything out there in writing to say this isn't the case at all.

calcotti

istanbul_2 said:

sorry to be a pain , i have contacted my local housing association and they have told me that even if i move home locally the dwp can and may class this as a change of circumstances .! is there anything out there in writing to say this isn't the case at all.

It is nothing to do with the DWP at this point. Housing Benefit is administered by the local authority. You tell your local authority that you have changed address and they should amend your HB claim. They may say they cannot do this and you have to claim UC. If you claim UC that then changes your benefits.
DWP can not change any of your existing benefits unless you claim UC.
if your local authority advise you that they cannot amend your HB claim refer them to the Housing Benefit manual paragraph 6.424
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236955/hbgm-a6-deciding-and-paying-benefit.pdf

Change of address

6.424 If the change of address is

• to another LA’s area, you may end the benefit award

• within the LA’s area it may be treated as a change of circumstances as long as you are satisfied you have enough evidence to support the change, if so supersede the decision, see C6 Reconsidering, revising and superseding decisions later in this manual

You need to distinguish between changes of circumstances which require an award to be revised and those which would require a new claim. A change of address within a local authority does not require a new claim.