Notification of changes of circumstances affecting personal independence payment or universal credit for purposes of sections 111A and 112 of the Administration ActE+W+S
44.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), where the benefit affected by the change of circumstances is personal independence payment or universal credit, notice must be given to the Secretary of State (“S”) at the appropriate office—
(a)in writing or by telephone (unless S determines in any case that notice must be in writing or may be given otherwise than in writing or by telephone); or
(b)in writing if in any class of case S requires written notice (unless S determines in any case to accept notice given otherwise than in writing).
(2) Where the notice in writing referred to in paragraph (1) is given or sent by an electronic communication that notice must be given or sent in accordance with the provisions set out in Schedule 2 to these Regulations (electronic communications).
(3) In such cases and subject to such conditions as the Secretary of State may specify, the duty in regulation 38(4) to notify a change of circumstances may be discharged by notifying the Secretary of State as soon as reasonably practicable—
(a)where the change of circumstances is a birth or death, through a local authority, or a county council in England, by personal attendance at an office specified by that authority or county council, provided the Secretary of State has agreed with that authority or county council for it to facilitate such notification; or
(b)where the change of circumstances is a death, by telephone to a telephone number specified for that purpose by the Secretary of State.