Housing Benefit help

TheEffect

I'm a disabled student and was awarded Housing Benefit a few days ago.

I only found out a month ago I would be eligible and there's only 3 months left of my tenancy.

I did put on the form I would like it backdated and put the reason I didn't apply earlier as I was unaware I could apply for housing benefit.

Yet they have not said anything about backdating it and have only started paying housing benefit from when I applied.

Any advise here? Should I send them a letter? Do they not normally backdate it?

Macro_3

TheEffect wrote: »

I'm a disabled student and was awarded Housing Benefit a few days ago.

I only found out a month ago I would be eligible and there's only 3 months left of my tenancy.

I did put on the form I would like it backdated and put the reason I didn't apply earlier as I was unaware I could apply for housing benefit.

Yet they have not said anything about backdating it and have only started paying housing benefit from when I applied.

Any advise here? Should I send them a letter? Do they not normally backdate it?

They should advise you that they have paid/refused your backdating request, so you should perhaps call them to prompt a decision.

However, the reason you have given for requesting a backdate is very, very common and is almost always refused, as ignorance of entitlement alone is not usually seen as 'good cause'.

TheEffect

Macro wrote: »

They should advise you that they have paid/refused your backdating request, so you should perhaps call them to prompt a decision.

However, the reason you have given for requesting a backdate is very, very common and is almost always refused, as ignorance of entitlement alone is not usually seen as 'good cause'.

Okay, thanks. I'll contact them and explain that I'm young, have moved out of the home for the first time and was naive and hope for the best.

On the letter they sent me, there was no mention of backdating, only what my entitlement was and when they'll pay.

elmer

Backdating is usually decided seperately from your main HB claim, and it normally has to go to a senior decision maker.

Where I work, your claim will be decided on and a decision notice sent out, and then the whole claim is sent on to the senior decision maker for the further decision about the backdate, if further info is required, this is obtained and then a decision is made, usually a fortnight to month later depending on workloads.

Elmer