Waiting for Council to process my Housing Benefit since moving to State Pension

Neko1234

Hi thought I'd start new thread hope that's okay. I get a bit stressed out about these things and you're all so kind.

I've been waiting since 26 February for council to update my housing benefit and council tax support since moving to State Pension and Pension Credits on 18th February.

I've had no Housing Benefit for two months now and need to pay full Council Tax next week if it's still not processed.

Fortunately I can manage and have family to help if needed.

I have phoned them and it's been escalated twice. Other than through my phone calls I've had no contact at all but they say they have everything it's just having to wait.

It just worries me but maybe this is normal for councils?

It's Liverpool and I think they do have long waiting times.

Thanks for letting me go on about it!

Neko1234

I've just called and they said there's a backlog but have escalated again. Feel for the staff working on the frontlines!

I asked if I'd receive back payments they said I could apply for them hope that doesn't take a long time also.

whizzywoo

As long as it is Guaranteed Pension Credit you are receiving there will be no Council Tax to pay. I don't know about any rent.

You say the full Council Tax is due next week if they haven't processed your claim by then. Just because they are behind does not mean that you have to pay it. They can hardly send the baliffs round or evict in the next few weeks or months even. Just sit tight and every time they send a demand just contact them and say I get Pension Credit and I don't have to pay it. And tell them again that they need to sort your claim out.

HillStreetBlues

Income & benefits are different departments, contact income and tell then to be a hold on payments till it's all sorted out.

Newcad

Just to note that I'm in a similar situation, 26th Feb I became a pensioner so claimed HB from then (it will start from 2nd April, the Monday after) and reported the change of circumstances for Council Tax.

I'm also still waiting for things to be sorted out (Cumberland council).

Luckilly with State Pension and a small private pension I can afford the rent payments until they sort out the HB.
With Council Tax I'm not paying any because I was on UC (with LCW) and that is what they have renewed for this year even though I'm no longer on UC. I will have to pay some now, but not until they sort things out.
So it's a bit of swings-and-roundabouts in my case.

BTW Councils only pay HB from the first Monday after the date that you claimed from, so if you made your claim from the 18th Feb then HB will be payable from the 23rd.
(It doesn't matter what date you made the claim but what date you put on the form as the date when you wanted to claim from, which should have been the 18th)
That isn't backdating that you have to apply for, it is backpayment of what they already owe you.
The person of the phone was confused between the two things, (they often are), you don't have to apply for payments that they already owe you simply because they are being slow doing the processing

Neko1234

Thanks everyone for your comments. The person on the phone advised I could cancel my direct debit for Council Tax and would put back to the end of May anything owed which should be zero.

I did think they might have been confused over back payments.

Hopefully it won't be long now for us Newcad!

Newcad

Just to add regarding backdating that when you are first claiming pension age HB then you have up to 3-months to claim it and put the 'Starting From' date as the date that you turned State Pension age. (Again though it will only be paid from the first Monday after that date)..

You don't need to give any reason why you are up to 3-months 'late' claiming, but if your councils form asks why you didn't claim earlier just put "New pension age HB claim".

Neko1234

Hi everyone well gave them my weekly call and it's been escalated again. Maybe I'm expecting too much of a probably overloaded workforce? The people on the phone are very pleasant but there's not much they can do other than escalate. So I'll keep waiting!

pmduk

Others may wish to comment, but one method might be to appeal, on the basis that a lack of a decision is tantamount to a refusal. If nothing else, more senior staff may become involved. Otherwise, just talk to you elected representatives.

Newcad

I phoned my council today to chase up my HB application, and the change to Council Tax which I'll now have to pay.

I was told it had been decided on the 24th April, so 7-1/2 weeks after I applied.

The amounts he told me over the phone are wrong, - of course they are.

By my quick reckoning for both HB and CTR they have calculated using my works pension amount before tax rather than after tax as they should have done. It makes a considerable difference, around £10 a week to HB, and more than that to CTR.

I'll have to wait for the letter(s) before complaining though (it seems to be taking Royal Mail 2-3 weeks to deliver letters here), and I'll possibly wait until the initial HB payment, including backpay, hits my account. (Oh yes, I've no doubt that they have also calculated the backpay incorrectly too, because the State Pension varied in March and April and there was no tax to pay on the works pension in March; but let's get payments started and argue about the amounts afterwards.

Neko1234

They do make it very hard work Newcad! I find it in turns stressful and then think well what can I do the machine will rumble on!

Hope we both get totally sorted soon!