Use this form if your claim for Housing or Council Tax Reduction does not start as early as you think it should.
What is backdated Housing or Council tax Reduction?
We will normally pay your benefit from the Monday after the day that we get your claim. If you think you should be paid benefit earlier than this, but did not claim in time, you must ask us to backdate your claim. If we agree to backdate your claim we will pay you from an earlier date.
When will we backdate claims for Housing or Council Tax Reduction?
We must backdate your claim if you ask us to and you have a good reason for not claiming earlier. Not knowing the rules about claiming benefit is not normally considered a good reason for not claiming earlier.
You will need to give us evidence of the reasons you did not claim earlier. There is more advice on what evidence we may need in this form
We cannot backdate your claim if:
- you did not have a good reason for claiming late; or
- you had a good reason at the start of the time you wished to claim but this did not last until the date you made your claim. For example, if you were in hospital and you could not claim, we would not normally backdate your claim if you had delayed claiming once you were discharged.
If you want to ask us to backdate your claim, please complete the rest of this form.
This form usually takes about 15 minutes to complete. Please note that after 60 minutes of inactivity the form will time out and any information you have entered will be lost.
