Preventing fraud

Hastings Borough Council is committed to reducing fraud and error in Housing Benefit payments and Council Tax Reduction.

The information collected on benefit claim forms may be passed to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Pension Service and Her Majesty’s Revenues and Customs (HMRC). To assist us the DWP and HMRC provide regular information to the council. We may check the DWP data directly in real time.

You must always inform us directly when a change of circumstances occurs. If you only inform other organisations/departments of your change (e.g. the DWP, a Job Centre, or HMRC) they may not pass on the information to us.