Housing & Council Tax Benefit - Backdating

Backdating Benefit

If there is a reason that has stopped or delayed you applying for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit you can ask for your claim to be 'backdated' so that it starts from an earlier date. You can only ask for a backdate if there is 'good cause' why you were unable to apply for your benefit earlier. There is no formal definition of 'good cause' - each case will be decided according to its own individual situation. However, the reason that you give for the delay in submitting your claim must show 'good cause' for the whole of the period that you want your benefit backdating. The maximum period that a benefit claim can be backdated is 52 weeks from the date we received the backdate request.

When applying for backdated Housing Benefit you will also be considered for backdated Council Tax Benefit. If you need to know more about Council Tax Benefit click on the link at the right hand side of the page.

If you disagree with the date your claim starts from for any other reason, you can appeal against the decision. For information on Appeals please click on the link at the right hand side of the page.

Who is eligible to claim a backdate?

Persons claiming Housing Benefit / Council Tax Benefit are eligible to claim for a backdate. The maximum period that a benefit claim can be backdated is 52 weeks from the date we received the backdate request.

You may qualify for help with both your rent and your Council Tax.

How do you apply for a backdate?

The backdate request must be received in writing, stating your name, address, claim number, the date you wish your claim to be backdated to, and the reason why you were late applying for benefit. It will be necessary for you to complete a separate Benefit Application form, with details of your income and capital relating to the backdated period of time and supplying all the relevant proofs requested on the form.

The form is available at any Barnsley Connects Office. If you need help filling in the form, you may telephone and ask us to help you.

You can also get help in person at your local Barnsley Connects Office. If you are housebound or have restricted mobility, we can send a Visiting Officer out to see you in your home.

PLEASE NOTE: Your backdate application will NOT be considered unless it is accompanied by a letter stating why you wish to claim and from when.

For impartial advice on writing your backdate request letter you can also contact the Citizen's Advice Bureau or the Welfare Rights Service.

The documents you need to provide along with your completed application form and backdate letter.

When making a backdated application for Benefit we always need to see original documents for you, your partner and any other people who live in your home. In order for your claim to be processed we need to see:

• Proof of your tenancy and the rent payable by you ( for Housing Benefit claims)
• Proof of all income for both you and your partner for the period of time in question
• Proof of all capital, savings and investments for the period of time in question.
• Proof of the income and capital of any other people living with you for the period of time in question.
• Where a backdate of Second Adult Rebate for Council Tax is being claimed, proof of income and saving is required for the 'second adult', not the liable person.

Self Employed

If you are self-employed, we need to see your accounts for the period in question. For more information contact our helpline where an officer will be able to explain more.

For more details on what is acceptable evidence please read the notes supplied with the application form. Please remember every document must be an original, we cannot accept photocopies. Do not delay sending in your claim form even if you do not have all the evidence now. Send or bring the documents in later, but within 4 weeks. Let us know if you need more than 4 weeks to provide proof.

Forms and documents can be brought to any Barnsley Connects Offices.

Any documents posted to the Council will be returned by post. We do not accept responsibility for the loss of any documents sent by post. It is therefore recommended that you bring any valuable documents to one of the offices mentioned above.

Helplines

Our helpline number is 01226 774743
Opening times for the helpline are Monday to Friday 9.00am to 4.15pm

Payment of Housing Benefit / Council Tax Benefit

If your backdate request is successful your Housing Benefit will be paid in the same manner as your existing claim, this could be either by crossed cheque, directly into your bank account or direct to your landlord.

Council Tax Benefit will be paid straight to your Council Tax account. You will receive a bill showing any amount you have to pay after benefit has been awarded. You may be able to get Council Tax Benefit for the full amount of Council Tax that you have to pay; in which case, you will still receive a Council Tax bill showing a nil balance. If the award of benefit puts your account into credit, then a cheque will be forwarded to you with your Council Tax Bill.

 

Contact us

 For other information including 

our contact details for enquiries and application forms

viewing your account details online

methods of payment

see Benefit Enquiries 

 

How you can help

You can help by fully completing the application form, this means, you must fill in each section of the form. Each section starts with a question to help you decide if all the questions in that section are relevant to you. Please remember you are completing the application form in respect of a past period of time, therefore the information and proofs should relate to this period in time. If you do not give us enough information or do not answer sections, we may return the form to you for you to complete.
Use black ink to fill in the form. Do not use pencil. If you make a mistake, just cross it out and put the right answer next to it. Do not use correction fluid or tape.

Answer 'Yes' or 'No' questions by putting a tick in the relevant box. If you are picking an answer from a list of answers, put a tick in the relevant box. Do not put a cross in any other boxes. If someone else fills the form in for you, there is a special place for him or her to sign.

Please ensure your backdate letter contains all the relevant information and demonstrates, good cause, as to why we should backdate your claim.

Application form

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Claim form

Leaflets

Notes for filling in the Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Second Adult Rebate claim form(May 2005).

Leaflets are available from

Barnsley Connects Offices - click on the link down the right hand side for locations

Legislation

Housing Benefit (General) Regulations 1987
Council Tax Benefit (General) Regulations 1992
Data Protection Act 1998

Response Times/Next Steps

Once you have submitted all the information and evidence we require, our officers will work out your entitlement to backdated Housing Benefit. You may receive requests for more information or clarification on some points. When we have made a decision we will inform you in writing, award any backdated rent due and amend your Council Tax bill if necessary.

If you think our decision is wrong, you have legal rights to challenge most of our decisions. If you want us to look at the decision again, we will check if the decision is correct. If the decision is wrong, we will change it. If the decision cannot be changed we will write and inform you. For more information on 'Making an Appeal' click on the link at the right hand side of the page.

Data Protection

We will use the information you give on the Housing Benefit Application Form and any supporting evidence you send us to process your claim for Housing Benefits. We may pass the information on to the Department for Work and Pensions and Inland Revenue, as allowed by law. We may also use the information to tell you what other welfare benefits you are entitled to.

We may check the information provided by you, or information about you provided by someone else, against other information we hold. We may also ask other agencies, organisations, local authorities or government departments to give us information they have about you to make sure the information is accurate, to prevent or detect crime and to protect public funds.

We will not give information about you to anyone else, or use information about you for other purposes, unless the law allows us to.

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council is the data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. Please ask if you would like to know more about what information we have about you, or the way that we use that information.

 

Other useful organisations:

 

Housing Advice

Telephone 01226 773870

 

Welfare Rights

Telephone 01226 775656
Welfare Rights Service

Citizens Advice Bureau
1 Shambles Street
Barnsley
S70 2HT
Telephone 01226 206492

 

Department for Work and Pensions
John Rideal House
Shambles Street S70 2SQ
BarnsleyTelephone 01226 777222

The Job Centre
Peel Street S70 2RL
Barnsley
Telephone 01226 263000

Related Links:

 

• Welfare Rights Service

• Citizens Advice Bureau

• Department for Work and Pensions

• Town Centre Map