Previously not aware of benefits

manyeelui

I was not aware I was eligible for benefits, turns out I could have claimed for the last few years but I am not longer eligible. Has anyone successfully backdated their claim?

Online it says just one month. When I called they told me its spread through word of mouth but surely there are lots of other people like myself that had never heard of all of this before?

[Deleted User]

manyeelui wrote: »

I was not aware I was eligible for benefits, turns out I could have claimed for the last few years but I am not longer eligible. Has anyone successfully backdated their claim?

Online it says just one month. When I called they told me its spread through word of mouth but surely there are lots of other people like myself that had never heard of all of this before?

You can't make a retrospective claim for benefits. If you were making a claim now you can backdate for short periods, 1 to 3 months depending on the benefit but any previous entitlement is gone.

tboo

Guidence states

Backdating has to prove good cause


Page 12


Ignorance of the benefit system is not good cause. In this the LA must consider whether it is reasonable to have expected the claimant to be aware that benefits existed at all, and make contact with one of the various agencies who could sign-post them to Housing Benefit.


But to backdate you have to have a claim to process not one from before

calcotti

manyeelui wrote: »

....surely there are lots of other people like myself that had never heard of all of this before?

Sadly all too true.

Afraid_of_Kittens

Every cloud has a silver lining though. You now know if your financial circumstances change you could claim benefits.