Regulation 84 Duty to notify changes of circumstancesI1

Northern Ireland

(1)

Subject to paragraph (2), if at any time between the making of a claim and a decision being made on it, or during the award of housing benefit, 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 F1to the designated office—

(F2a)

in writing;

(b)

by telephone—

(i)

where the relevant authority has published a telephone number for that purpose or for the purposes of regulation 81 unless the authority determines that in any particular case or class of case notification may not be given by telephone, or

(ii)

in any case or class of case where the relevant authority determines that notice may be given by telephone; or

(c)

by any other means which the relevant authority agrees to accept in any particular case.

(2)

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

(a)

the amount of rent and rates payable to the Executive;

(b)

the amount of rates payable to the Department of Finance and Personnel;

(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 F3, an income-based jobseeker’s allowance or an income-related employment and support allowance, any circumstances which affect the amount of income support , an income-based jobseeker’s allowance or an income-related employment and support allowance but not the amount of housing benefit to which he is entitled, other than the cessation of that entitlement to income support , an income-based jobseeker’s allowance or an income-related employment and support allowance.

(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.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Words in reg. 84(1) substituted (20.12.2006) by The Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006/462), regs. 1(1), 2(4)
F2: Reg. 84(1)(a)-(c) substituted for reg. 84(1)(a)(b) (1.5.2011) by The Housing Benefit (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (S.R. 2011/136), regs. 1(1), 4(4)
F3: Words in reg. 84(2)(e) substituted (27.10.2008) by The Housing Benefit (Employment and Support Allowance Consequential Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008/378), regs. 1, 3(4)(e)

Commencement

I1: Reg. 84 in operation at 20.11.2006, see reg. 1(1)

Notes on Part X

Modifications

C1: Pt. X applied (with modifications) (1.4.2007) by The Rate Relief (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (S.R. 2007/204), regs. 1(1), 26(1)