Housing and Council Tax Benefit - Backdated Claims
If you are entitled to benefit, it is normally only paid from the Monday following the date that the Council receives your application form. Benefit cannot normally be backdated, so it's important that you return your claim form to us straight away.
If you wish to claim backdated benefit you will have to show 'continuous good cause' as to why you did not claim earlier, and this reason must apply for the whole period you want benefit to be backdated for.
Working Age Customers
From 6 October 2008 if you can show good cause for not claiming and good cause existing throughout the period in question it is possible to consider backdating subject to the following time limits. The maximum period for which Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit may be backdated is six months.
The regulations are complex and you will need to show continuous good reason for not claiming earlier and we must be satisfied that your circumstances, during this time, were such that any reasonable person of your age and experience would have failed to claim benefit.
You have to prove “good cause” but we must take account of all the facts of your case.
Pension Age Customers
From 6 October 2008 the time period for backdating is 3 months for people who have reached the qualifying age for State Pension Credit. The qualifying age for Pension Credit is 60.
The “good cause” provisions will not be relevant to the 3 month period for making the claim.
Men aged 60-64 are working age customers, but are also entitled to claim Pension Credit. The following rules apply to this group:
- If the customer, or partner, is in receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance, the six month time limit for backdating applies and the customer will need to show good cause for not claiming before.
- If the customer is claiming Pension Credit (and no partner is in receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seekers Allowance a three month limit on backdating applies.
- If you require further information concerning backdating of benefit, please contact us using the details on the right or download and complete a ‘Request for Backdated benefit’ form
Please contact us using the details on the right if you wish to discuss a claim.
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