Backdating
Benefit usually starts from the Monday following the date a claim is received at this office or at the Department for Work and Pensions (external link). It will can start from the date you first contacted us or the Department of Work and Pensions, Job Centre Plus if the form is received within a month of first contact.
Backdating is when benefit is assessed from a date before the claim was treated as made.
Making a request for backdating
A request for backdating must be made in writing to:
The Benefits Service
Housing Benefit Department
PO Box 333
Sale
M33 6XP
Information you need to supply when requesting backdating
You must tell us why you failed to make your claim earlier and the date you would like your benefit to be backdated to. Benefit regulations state that benefit can be backdated for a maximum of up to six months if you are under 60 or three months if you are 60 or over or if your partner is sixty or over
However, in order to allow backdating we must be satisfied that you have shown ‘good cause’ for having failed to claim earlier and you must show that ‘good cause’ lasted from the date you wanted benefit backdated to all the way through to when you requested backdating.
'Good cause'
Each request for backdating is looked at individually. You must therefore provide all the relevant information to support your request. Ignorance of the benefits system can not be accepted as ‘good cause’ as claimants are expected to take steps to find out what their rights are.
When we receive your request for backdating
Your request will be dealt with by an experienced member of the benefit assessment team, who will look carefully at the reasons you have given and decide whether or not you have shown ‘good cause’ for the whole of the period in question or for part of it. If your request is allowed, your claim will be reassessed and you will receive written details of the outcome. If your request is disallowed, you will be notified in writing as soon as possible.
Backdating claims for people aged 60 or over
If a single person or one member of a couple is aged 60 or over, entitlement to housing/council tax benefit can automatically start from three months before the actual date of claim. There is no need for a request for the claim to be backdated. However, the first day of entitlement to housing/council tax benefit will depend on the following:
- the date from which the conditions of entitlement to Housing/Council Tax Benefit are satisfied (if there is entitlement), and
- the date the person, or their partner, became aged 60 years, and
- the date liability for rent and/or council tax commenced.
