Change of circumstances and Housing Benefit

[newagenow]

Dear Moderators and members, I am pleased to say that my wife has entered UK on the 19th January 2010. (She has been granted Entry Clearance Visa on 10th December 2009).
My question this time is - does anybody can tell what is the deadline to report change of circumstances in the local Housing Benefit office? She has been living here in my flat for nine days. If I go and submit Change of Circumstances form tomorrow- do you think it is pretty late now? The HB claim IS IN MY NAME ONLY. She still has to apply for NINO. If they ask her for one, we shall put temporary number (as advised here on the forum somewhere- her initials, her date of birth, and the last letter should be 'F' because she is female). (For instance NG 17 05 79 F).
We would appreciate fast reply because I have to sort it out tomorrow in the local Westmister Borough Housing office.
Thank you very much!

[John]

Firstly, and a totally separate matter to the issue of Housing Benefit, you are currently getting the 25% single occupant discount? If so you need to inform the Council that you are no longer in single occupation.

The Housing Benefit? Yes, inform the Housing Benefit office, but don't worry about the lack of NI number. The regulations changed last April, and if your wife does not yet have a NI number, that should not cause a problem. Prior to April it would have been a real problem.