You are almost there: You’ve just moved into your dream place or next rental. You packed all the boxes, cleared those final bills and booked the moving company. But have you notified all the relevant institutions or the utility providers of the change of your address? Did you complete your DWP change of address? Do you know how to update that information? If you are claiming benefits from the DWP and you are moving house, below we offer a simple guide on having a welfare change of address.
Do I Need to Change my Address with the DWP?
The Department of Work and Pensions is the department responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance. When you are moving house, it is important to notify the DWP of your change of address so you don’t miss any work-related or pension-related information. In case of any confidential information, HMRC or DWP usually gets in touch via post or telephone, so it is important to update your address. Changing your address with the DWP is easy and it can be done online, by signing into your Government Gateway Account or using 3rd party tools like SlothMove. The DWP needs to be notified in other circumstances as well, like when you change your name, taxable income, or in case of a gender change.
You can update your address with the DWP through the HMRC website by following some simple steps:
- Log into HMRC’s website
- Once prompted, sign inGovernment Gateway account and follow the steps on the screen.
- Update your address across Income Tax, Tax Credits and Child Benefits, your State Pension & National Insurance
When Do I Need A Welfare Change Of Address?
Timing plays an important role when it comes to notifying the DWP that you moved out. You need to have a pension change of address if you are moving house and you are claiming benefits from the DWP- this can be Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit. Any change of circumstances must be reported, including changing your address, as this might affect your payments.
What Happens If I Don’t Change My Address With the DWP?
If you fail to change your address with the DWP, your benefits can be affected in many ways. Each local authority has its own housing allowance set. If you move to a different area, and you are claiming housing benefits, the amount you get paid might change. This is mainly influenced by the local market value and the price of the properties in certain areas. If a property includes unoccupied living space, for instance, it means that the housing benefit changes- this is called the Bedroom Tax.
How To Report The Change Of Address with the DWP?
Beyond the easy-to-use 3rd party tools, you can report a change of circumstances with the DWP by calling the Jobcentre Plus helpline for existing benefit claims or writing to the Jobcentre Plus office that pays your Income Support- further details can be found on the governmental website.
Next Steps
There is a never-ending list to go through when you are moving home and it is very important to remember to notify the relevant institutions of your change of address. If you are claiming benefits, like Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit, remember to notify the DWP that you moved house. This can be done via telephone or online and by notifying them you make sure you won’t miss out on important information and that your benefits won’t be affected.