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Report a change in your life

Your change in circumstances

Last updated
27 Feb 2026

You need to tell Social Security Scotland if your circumstances change so that we can make sure you get all the payments you should. If your circumstances change and you do not tell us, you may get a payment by mistake. If this happens, you may be asked to pay the money back. 

If you do not tell us about your change of circumstance straight away, you may be breaking the law. Section 72 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 says it's an offence not to tell us about a change of circumstance that we've asked you to.

Change your name, address or contact details

Report a change

When to tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

If you get any of these benefits, you also need to tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP):

  • Universal Credit 
  • Income Support 
  • Pension Credit 
  • income-based Jobseeker's Allowance 
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance 

When to tell your local council

If you get Housing Benefit, you also need to tell your local council. 

Housing Benefit

Change your bank details

For your security, you cannot change your bank details online. 

Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222 to report any change, including bank details.

Other changes that can affect your benefits

The changes you need to tell us about, depends on the benefits you get:

Best Start Foods or Scottish Child Payment

Child responsibility

You must tell Social Security Scotland if you're looking after fewer children, or more children. This could be if:

  • you're no longer looking after a child, for example, due to the end of a relationship or a divorce
  • you or your partner have given birth, or you've adopted

If you're already getting Best Start Foods or Scottish Child Payment then Social Security Scotland will check if you can get it for any additional children you're now looking after.

If you're looking after a child born in the last 6 months

You might be able to get Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment for this child.

If you've only just started looking after a child then this goes up to the last 12 months. This could be if you're the kinship carer for the child.

Social Security Scotland cannot check if you can get Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment using the change in circumstances form. You can still apply for this payment as well as the other parts of Best Start Grant, Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Foods. Go to the joint application form to do this.

Relationship

You should tell Social Security Scotland if your relationship status has changed.

This could be if:

  • you're now living with your partner
  • you're no longer living with a partner

Death of a child or partner

Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222 if your child or partner has died. A trained adviser will help you complete the change in circumstances form at your own pace.

Benefits or payments

You need to tell Social Security Scotland if you or your partner have started or stopped getting any of the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit
  • Income Support
  • Pension Credit
  • income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Child Tax Credit

Pregnancy

If you get Best Start Foods, you should tell Social Security Scotland if you or your partner are pregnant. Social Security Scotland will check if you can also get Best Start Foods for this child.

You should tell Social Security Scotland if you're currently getting Best Start Foods for a pregnancy and have now given birth.

If you or your partner are 24-weeks pregnant

You might be able to get Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment for this child, but Social Security Scotland cannot check using the change in circumstances form.

You can still apply for this payment as well as Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Foods. Go to the joint application form to do this.

If you're no longer pregnant

Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222, if you're no longer pregnant and a trained adviser can help you complete the change in circumstances form at your own pace.

After you've told Social Security Scotland

You'll get a letter to let you know if your changes will affect your payments for Scottish Child Payment or Best Start Foods. You'll usually get this within 30 days after Social Security Scotland have received your changes.

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