Extended payments of benefit
Are you about to start a Job?
Starting work, a wage increase or increasing your hours of work are changes that you must tell us about. If you delay telling us you may cause an overpayment.
Do not rely upon the Jobcentre Plus or Department of Work and Pensions to tell us. You must tell us yourself. If your income is low you may still be entitled to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
What happens to my claim?
Income Support (IS) or Income based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA-IB)
If you were receiving Income Support or Income based Jobseekers Allowance then you must also tell the Jobcentre Plus. We will suspend payment of your claim until we can work out what benefit you are entitled to.
Not receiving Income Support or Income based Jobseekers Allowance
If you did not get Income Support or Income based Jobseekers Allowance but have started work, increased your hours or your wages, we can usually work out your new benefit entitlement without suspending payment.
Extended payments
You can receive an extra 4 weeks Housing and Council Tax Benefit that may be awarded when you start work or increase your working hours to more than 16 hours per week. You can receive this even if you would not qualify for Housing Benefit or Council Tax benefit on your new wages
To qualify for extended payments
- You must have been getting Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disability Allowance for 26 weeks or more without a break.
- Your new job must be expected to last for at least 5 weeks.
If you think that you qualify for Extended Payments you will need to let the Benefits Team or the Department of Work and Pensions know within 4 weeks of the first day of your new job, new hours or new rate of pay. You can claim an extended payment by phone, in writing or in person
If you want to receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit after receiving an extended payment you must make a new claim for benefit.
Rapid reclaim
Rapid reclaim is a fast way of reapplying for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit after a period of work. You apply for a rapid reclaim at the Jobcentre Plus.
The conditions are
- You are reclaiming and are entitled to IS or JSA-IB at the same time as reapplying for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
- You are claiming within 12 weeks of your last entitlement to Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.
Other help you can get if you are working includes Working and Child Tax Credit.
Email this pageLast modified by: Katherine Kan on 03/10/2008