Types of change that affect your entitlement

Change of family circumstances

Changes in your family circumstances include any of the following:

• A new child joins your family
  Example: You have a baby.
• Your parenting arrangements change
  Example: You get divorced.
• A child leaves your care
  Example: A child leaves school to start work and becomes financially independent.
• Your shared care arrangements change.

Change of income circumstances

Changes in your income circumstances include any of the following:

• Your employment status changes
  Example: You change from a salary or wage to self-employed earnings.
• You get a different type of income
  Example: You change from a salary or wage to a student allowance, or you come off a benefit and start work.
• Your weekly working hours change and affect your income
  Example: You change from full-time to part-time employment.
• Your estimated family income increases or decreases
  Example: You or your spouse or partner retire, you or your spouse start receiving Job Support Scheme payments.
• You or your spouse or partner are off work for three months or longer, and you receive accident compensation.

Other changes

We also need to know about:

• any changes of bank or building society accounts so that:
  • we can direct credit your payments to the correct account, and
  • you don't miss out on any payments.
• any changes of your personal details to make sure that we contact and pay the right person. Use the Have you changed your name, address or phone number? (IR238) form to tell us about a change of personal details. You can find it under "Forms and guides".

Find out more

• Contact us about a change in your family or income
• Update your details using My family details and income online service

Next steps

• Work out how much you can get
• Receiving and managing your payments

Date published: 03 Apr 2009

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