Housing benefit

Beccawx

I was just wondering if anyone had been in the same situation as me - Last Jan (2012) i lost my job so i applied for housing benefit - everything was agreed to go straight to landlord i was on income support all information needed was handed over to council etc. and i was told it had been sorted, at the end of march 2012 i received a notice to quit from my landlord because no rent had been paid! i went straight to the council to see what had happened and they said they had lost my forms so i had to do this all over again... done same as i done in Jan and fortunatley got my rent paid by April - but it had only been paid from 17 March - the date i applied - i was told when reapplying it would be backdated to Jan 1st as it was there mistake for loss. i went back yet again to try and sort out the back date - wrote letters to them explaining why this had to be done etc handed in all evidence again and even receipts from January and March applications. Was told the backdate of over 900 pound would be paid straight to landlord within 8 weeks. 8 weeks came and gone and still no backdate. Landlord at this point getting on my back but as i am only receiving JSA i have no means of paying these arrears. Chasing up the council etc but getting nowhere i eventually got a letter in NOVEMBER saying they could not pay me the backdate as it was for dates more than 6 months previously!! i got a job in December and overpaid my rent by 200 pound a month and have now paid off my arrears. I now have become unemployed again because my job was a 6 month contract and i now need to apply for JSA and housing benefit all over again which i am dreading. I am still really angry about the backdate and do not want this to happen again.. Does anyone know if there is anyway i can dispute this or has anyone had anything similar happen to them? i feel like i should get my money back but i know that probably wont happen.

Any advice would be great.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

If they have a receipt showing you handed in a claim form in January 2012 I can't see why they can't use that as the date of claim as they have lost the form!

pmlindyloo

Personally I would gathering all my evidence together and going to CAB for help with this backdating HB scenario.

I would also make a simple timeline of events to make it easier to understand.

If you were awarded income based JSA at the time then this would be evidence of your eligibility for HB.

Did you also receive Council Tax Benefit for this period?

I would also take my tenancy agreement showing that you were liable for paying rent at that time plus copies of your bank statements for that period.

I sincerely hope that you get your backdated HB as this was an official mistake.

As regards your current claim for HB I would ringing them on a regular basis to make sure they have all the paperwork you completed and any further evidence that they need.

In view of the last 'mess up' I would also copy any paperwork and date it for your own information/evidence. Also write down date/time and name of person you speak to when you make your telephone calls.

Good luck!