CCM10180 - Penalties and Interest: Example of Reasonable Excuse for Not Notifying a Change of Circumstances

Example

Claire is a single claimant and a change of circumstances in her household make-up occurs on 19 May 2007. Claire is required to notify the change by 19 June 2007 but on 1 June Claire becomes critically ill and is taken into hospital where her condition remains critical for 6 weeks. Claire therefore has a reasonable excuse for not notifying her change of circumstances by 19 June 2007 but we would expect her to have notified the change as soon as she was well enough to attend to her affairs. Depending on the nature of her illness this might be by late July or even a little later. It does not mean her obligations cease completely.