Backdated benefit
Housing and Council Tax benefit can be backdated for up to 6
months if you are of working age and 3 months from the date of
your request if you are a pensioner, or a man aged between 60 and
64 in receipt of Pension Credit.
If you are of working age you will have to apply in writing
giving a good reason or the cause for the delay in making your
claim, and why others could not act on your behalf.
Some examples of reasons or good causes are: - having to go
into hospital, being seriously ill, death of a close relative or
problems with language and / or literacy, this list is not
exhaustive.
Simply not applying or not knowing that you could apply is not
a good enough reason nor is not understanding the benefit rules
unless there was also a reason that stopped you from finding out
how you could claim.
Pensioners will normally receive an automatic 3 month backdate
or an award from their 60/65th birthday whichever is the
lesser, if a new claim to pension credit is successful, and
evidence of income and saving are provided for the backdated
period.
Further Help and advice.
To access a National printable leaflet or to obtain this
information in other languages, please follow the
link to the national
Benefits Leaflets web site. There is also an audio
version on-line.
You can follow this link if you wish to return to the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit index
page or you can use the links on the top and on the left
hand side of this page.