Terms & Conditions

[Mark]

Right – I’ll go first. I disagree almost entirely with the DWP.

My view (for what it’s worth) is as follows:

1) Assuming that there is no gap in occupation between the old and new address a move from one address to another within an LA’s area is not an end of liability. It is a change in liability – and if the benefit is the same at the old property as the new then it is not even a change.

2) The normal rules about changes being advantageous or disadvantageous apply to changes of address within an LA’s area in just the same way as they do to other changes.

3) To say that whether we consider a move from one address to another as a “change of circumstances” depends on when it is notifed is plain silly.

4) The date of notification of a change of address within an LA’s area only matters if more benefit is payable for the new address than the old. You have to look at HB and CTB seperately in this regard.

The DWP have probably realised that if my position is correct it is also administratively complex – particularly in combined HB/CTB cases. Therefore, they daren’t put it forward. Instead, they have come up with an unsatisfactory cop-out designed to placate LA’s who still want to end entitlement altogether when people move out.

Discuss!