5. After regulation 88(1) (duty to notify changes of circumstances) of the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006(2) insert—
88ZA.—(1) In such cases and subject to such conditions as the Secretary of State may specify, the duty in regulation 88(1) to notify a change of circumstances may be discharged by notifying the Secretary of State—
(a)where the change of circumstances is a birth or death, through a relevant 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.
(2) Paragraph (1) only applies if the authority administering the claimant’s housing benefit agrees with the Secretary of State that notifications may be made in accordance with that paragraph.
(3) The Secretary of State must forward information received in accordance with paragraph (1) to the authority administering the claimant’s housing benefit.”.
The relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2006/2967, 2008/2299 and 2008/2987.