The Department for Work and Pensions could stop your benefits if you fail to report any of these 18 changes.
You commit benefit fraud by claiming benefits you’re not entitled to on purpose. If you fail to report certain changes in your circumstances you could be issued with a fine and taken to court.
Your benefits can also be reduced or stopped for up to three years if you’re convicted of benefit fraud. The amount of time they’re stopped depends on how many times you’ve committed fraud.
Only certain benefits can be reduced or stopped. These are called ‘sanctionable benefits’. But if you commit fraud on a benefit that cannot be reduced or stopped, your other benefits can be reduced instead.
These are the 18 changes the DWP considers to be a change in circumstances that you must report:
- Finding or finishing a job, even if it's volunteer work, or changes to your earnings if you're self-employed
- Having a baby, or you adopt or foster a child
- Changes to your living arrangements, such as moving in with your partner, someone in your household goes to prison or your rent changes
- If you split up with your partner
- If you get married or divorced
- If you or your children start or stop full-time education or any training you were undertaking
- You or your partner reach State Pension age
- You have any health changes, such as you're ill or you're admitted to hospital
- If someone you're close to dies, such as your partner, child, someone you were caring for
- Changes to your immigration status
- Changes to your bank details
- Changing your name or gender
- If you're planning to go abroad for any length of time
- Changing your doctor
- Changes to your pension, savings, investments or property
- Changes to other money you get (for example student loans or grants, sick pay or money you get from a charity)
- Changes to the benefits you or anyone else in your house gets
- If you or your partner are getting back-pay (sometimes called ‘arrears’) for salary or earnings you’re owed
According to MyLondon, to inform the DWP about a change in circumstances you should send a message to your work coach via your Universal Credit journal. You can also call the free Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644 any time between 8am and 6pm on Monday to Friday, or textphone 0800 328 1344.
If you are suspected of taking advantage of the benefit system, for example by not reporting a change in circumstances so you continue to be paid more than you should, you may be visited by a Fraud Investigation Officer or asked to attend an 'interview under caution' about your claim. The formal interviews are recorded and could be used against you in a criminal investigation.
You will be told to pay back the overpaid money if you have committed or attempted fraud and may also be taken to court order ordered to pay a penalty of up to £5,000. A sanction could also be imposed which would result in your benefits, including carer's allowance, housing benefit and jobseeker's allowance, either being reduced or cancelled.
Would you like to share your story about struggling with the cost of living in Merseyside? Email lottie.gibbons@reachplc.com
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