Your change in circumstances

This could be following a marriage or civil partnership, or if you legally changed your name.

You must send Social Security Scotland documents confirming the name change.

This could be if:

• you've moved house
• you still live at the same address but want Social Security Scotland to send letters to a different address
• you no longer have a fixed address

Social Security Scotland will also update the address of a partner, if you have one, or the address of any children you look after.

You must send Social Security Scotland documents confirming the address change. 

Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222 if you're moving to an address outside the UK.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

If you're getting Best Start Foods, Scottish Child Payment, or any part of Best Start Grant, you can tell Social Security Scotland if you'd like to change the details of where you get your payments.

These changes could be details of your:

• bank account
• building society
• credit union

Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222 to report a change in your bank details.

For your security, you cannot send any change in bank details using the online form.

This could be:

• whether you'd like to get text messages or emails
• the way you want Social Security Scotland to contact you, including by phone, British Sign Language video call or letter
• whether you'd like to get letters in other formats including braille, easy read, large print, or audio file
• whether you'd like to get calls and letters in a language other than English