UC and Housing benefit

rich11

Hi I wonder if anyone knowledgeable can help with a query please?

A friend was moved onto UC about a year ago and has struggled since. She recently had to up her hours to 18 hours a week just to keep the UC. She had a meeting with them today and it turns out she hasn't been claiming housing benefit so hardly surprising she has struggled

My question is can this be back dated to when she first went on UC? Sorry I know nothing about benefits hence I am asking here

Thanks for reading  

tacpot12

Housing Benefit isn't available to new claimants. Universal Credit can include a 'Housing Element' which is what is available for if Universal Credit claimants need help with their rent. It's paid at the same rate as Housing Benefit, but claimed from the DWP as part of your UC claim rather than from the local authority. 

So check whether she has been claiming the Housing Element (HE). If she hasn't, she can claim the HE now. She can ask for it to be backdated if there is good reason why she didn't know she could claim it before now. It is very unlikely to be backdated to the point she claimed UC. The most that it is likely to be backdated for is one month. To be backdated more than one month, some very unusual circumstance must have arisen. If she says there are unusual circumstances, post them here or refer her to a welfare benefits advice service to have expert advice. 

KxMx

When applying for Housing Element she can put the date of the "change" as her UC start date. 

She will then be asked why she has applied late, and the matter will go to a Decision Maker for judgement. 

There are further options if the Decision Maker doesn't allow the backdating. 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/benefits-introduction/problems-with-benefits-and-tax-credits/challenging-benefit-decisions/challenging-a-decision-by-the-dwp-or-hmrc/challenging-a-benefit-decision-mandatory-reconsideration/

rich11

Thanks for the replies guys you have been very helpful