Backdate your benefits claim
We normally award Housing Benefit from the Monday after we receive your claim. However, in certain circumstances we can pay you from an earlier date.
There are no set circumstances for backdating a claim. We consider applications on a ‘good cause’ basis. For instance, if someone’s health or mental capacity meant they could not submit a claim earlier or without special assistance, or if the wrong information had been provided by officers during in the application process.
To request that your benefit be backdated please complete the backdating section on your application form.
There are separate rules for pensioners and for people of working age.
People of working age
If you are of working age, the backdating period is limited to one month before the date we received your application, and providing you have good cause for not submitting your claim sooner.
We decide whether or not to backdate claims based on the merits of each application.
Pensioner claims
If you are of pension age, your claim is automatically backdated three months, as long as you were of pension age throughout that time, or back to the date you reached pension age if this was within the three months.
