Backdating your benefit claim

Housing benefit and Council Tax benefit is normally awarded from the Monday after the day you made your claim. Sometimes we can pay benefit from an earlier date if you have a good reason for not claiming sooner.

When can you claim backdated benefit?

You can claim for backdated benefit if:

• you have already completed the Housing and Council Tax benefit claim form; but
• feel you should have had benefit for a period before you made your claim.

The law says that we can backdate your benefit up to 52 weeks from the date we receive your request, if you can give good reason why you did not apply sooner:

The good reason must apply over the full period for which you want benefit backdated.

What is a good reason?

Some examples are:

• the death of a close relative;
• being in hospital or seriously ill;
• being wrongly advised by a person who should have known better, such as council staff, the Citizens Advice bureau, a social worker, DWP staff;
• language difficulties;
• being unable to manage your affairs and not having anyone to help you.

Please provide as much information as you can for us to make our decision.

What happens after a claim has been made?

After we have received your claim form we will reply as soon as possible. If we refuse your claim for backdating, we will send you details of what to do if you disagree with our decision.

How to make a backdated benefit claim

Write to us at P.O. Box 10, Oxford OX1 1BR with the date that you wish your claim to begin and the reasons that you were unable to claim sooner. Please include your name, address and reference number if you know it.

Page last reviewed 13 Feb 2008