# The Rate Relief Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017, Regulation 15: Duty to notify changes of circumstances


(1) Subject to paragraph (3), if at any time between the making of a claim and a decision being made on it, or during an award of rate relief, there is a change of circumstances which the claimant, or any person by whom or on whose behalf sums payable by way of rate relief are receivable, might reasonably be expected to know might affect the claimant's right to—
(a) the amount of rate relief; or
(b) the receipt of rate relief,
that person shall be under a duty to notify that change of circumstances by giving notice to the relevant authority.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3) the changes referred to in paragraph (1) shall include—
(a) the cessation of entitlement to universal credit;
(b) the suspension of payment of universal credit;
(c) an award of housing benefit;
(d) absence from a dwelling that lasts or is likely to last more than 13 weeks;
(e) a change in the amount of rates the claimant is liable to pay to his landlord;
(f) a change in the number of people living in the property, excluding dependent children;
(g) starting work.
(3) The duty imposed on a person by paragraph (1) does not extend to changes—
(a) referred to in paragraph (2)(e) that are solely generated by the Department;
(b) these regulations.
(4) For the purposes of this regulation “notice” means—
(a) by electronic communication in accordance with the Schedule; or
(b) by telephone call to the telephone number specified by the relevant authority if the claim falls within a class of case for which the relevant authority accepts notifications of changes of circumstances by telephone or where, in any other case, the relevant authority is willing to do so.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2017/184/regulation/15 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/rate-relief-regulations-northern-ireland-2017/regulation-15
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.