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Can my housing and council tax benefit start date be backdated?

Possibly, but you must provide the Council with all of the reasons why your entitlement should start from a date earlier than the date you submtted your benefit application form. The Council will only be able to agree to backdate your claim if you can demonstrate good cause why you did not apply earlier and that this existed for the whole of the period that you are seeking backdated benefit to be paid. Reasons such as 'I did not know about the scheme' or 'I did not have time to apply' are not normally considered to demonstrate good cause. Backdated benefit entitlement cannot exceed a period of 6 months for a claimant or partner who are under 60 and cannot exceed a period of 3 months for a claimant or partner who are 60 or over from the date of the claim.

Related Pages (9)

  • Housing benefit - backdating claims

    This page gives information on whether housing benefit and council tax benefit can be backdated to a date earlier than when you submitted your benefit application form.

  • Benefit legislation changes

    This page will provide details of the recent legislation changes to housing and council tax benefit.

  • Benefit Entitlement Calculators

    This page contains links to web sites which will enable you to calculate whether you are entitled to any council tax, business rates and housing benefits or tax credits.

  • Discretionary Housing Payment

    Discretionary Housing Payment is extra help towards rent and council tax where you have a shortfall between what you pay out in rent and council tax and what you receive in housing benefit and council tax benefit.

  • Help and Advice with Housing and Council Tax benefit

    Contact details for organisations giving help and advice on a range of benefits, including our helpline service for our residents offering advice on all types of benefits, not just those administered by us.

  • Information required to claim housing and council tax benefit

    This page deals with what information is required in order to assess a claim for housing and council tax benefit.

  • Landlords and Agents

    This page gives advice for Landlords and Agents with tenants who are claiming Housing Benefit. It also provides a leaflet to be downloaded with additional information.

  • Local Housing Allowance Rates

    This page gives the weekly the Local Housing Allowance rates for the current month and the previous month. These rates will be used when calculating your housing benefit.

  • Council Tax General

    This is the home page of the council tax section. This page contains details about council tax and has links to forms and useful information

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