It is your responsibility to immediately notify the council of any change in your circumstances that may affect your entitlement to benefit.
You cannot assume that other organisations, like the Department for Work and Pensions, will notify us on your behalf.
Working and claiming
Claimants who are receiving housing/council tax benefit on the basis that they are entitled to job seekers allowance/income support but are in fact working.
Non-disclosure of property, capital or income
Claimant does not tell us about all their income, savings, capital or property so that the amount of benefit they get is higher than it should be.
Non-disclosure of partner
Living together as man and wife, as civil partners and as same sex couples.
Claimant receiving housing and council tax benefit and not telling us they have a partner, knowing that if they did they would not be entitled to benefit.
Non-declaration of non-dependants or sub-tenants
Claimant does not tell us about other adults living in the property so that they keep, or increase their entitlement to benefit.
False claims by homeowners
Owner of a property falsely claims housing benefit, stating they are paying rent for the property, inventing a fictitious landlord and using false rent books and tenancy agreements.
False address or failing to declare a change of address
Claimant is claiming benefit for an address where they do not live. These types of offences can involve the landlord or other tenants, or occur when the claimant doesn't tell us that they have moved out of a property.
Landlord fraud
A landlord continues to receive benefit paid direct to them when they know the claimant has left the premises.
Fictitious tenancies
A tenancy is created between friends or family where the property would not normally be rented in order to obtain benefit to which they are not entitled.