Backdating Benefits

Benefit will usually start from the Monday after the date a claim is received at the Benefits Service. However there are special rules for people claiming Income Support, Income based employment and support allowance, Pension Credits and Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based) and people who become tenants for the first time.  Please contact us for more information.

It is possible for your benefit claim to be paid from a date earlier than the date your claim is received at the Benefits Service.

Please remember: It is best to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit immediately - do not rely on backdating.

Backdating for people over the age of 60

If you are over 60 we can backdate your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit claim for up to 3 months before the date when you made your claim, provided that you would have been entitled during those 3 months.

The 3 month Backdating for people over the age of 60 will happen automatically, but we will need to see proof of your income, savings, and rent (if you pay rent) for that period when you make your claim.

Backdating for people under the age of 60

If you are under the age of 60, your claim will not be backdated unless you have good cause for not making the claim at the earlier date.  The maximum period that your claim can be backdated is 6 months from the day you apply for your claim to be backdated.

What is a good cause?

Here are some examples of what might be accepted as good cause to backdate your application:

• You were too ill to claim at the time and no one else could help you
• You did not understand that you could make a claim because of language or communication difficulties. (for example English is not your first language)
• You were told you could not get benefit by the Council, Benefits Agency, Job Centre Plus, Pensions Service or an Advice Centre
• You did not know about a change in the law that meant you could qualify
• Your claim involved complex law that you could not be expected to understand

The fact that you did not know about Housing and or Council Tax Benefit or did not think that you would not be entitled are not in themselves good cause for backdating.

Any reasons for not claiming at an earlier date must apply to the whole of the period that you are asking for backdating.

How to ask for backdating

You can write a letter asking for backdating or write your request on the ‘Additional Information’ page in the Council’s application form. You must state the period you are asking for backdating and the reasons why you didn’t make your claim earlier. If you need help with this contact us immediately.

You should provide letters from your Doctor, Social Worker or Advice Worker where they will help your claim.

We will look at your claim but we may need to ask you for more information to make a decision based on what you have told us. If we refuse your claim for backdating, we will write to you to explain our decision and give you details of what to do if you disagree with our decision.