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The Council can only pay Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support from the Monday after we receive your application form.

However, if you claim your benefit within four weeks of claiming income support, jobseekers allowance (income based) or employment and support allowance (income based) your benefit will be paid from the Monday after your income support, jobseekers allowance (income based) or employment and support allowance (income based) was awarded.

It is possible to have your claim backdated if you have not made your claim for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support within 4 weeks of claiming your income support, jobseekers allowance (income based) or employment and support allowance (income based).

Your claim may be backdated to the date your income support, jobseekers allowance (income based) or employment and support allowance (income based) was awarded if you have had good reasons for not claiming your benefit earlier.

If you are not receiving income support, jobseekers allowance (income based) or employment and support allowance (income based) you may be able to have your claim paid from an earlier date if you have good reasons for not making a claim earlier.

Pension age claimants can request that benefit be backdated for a maximum period of 3 months from the date you make the request.

If you are of working age and claim other benefits, you may be able to get your Council Tax Support backdated to 1 April 2024. 

If you want your benefit claim backdated you must write to the office and give your reasons why you did not claim earlier.

We need to know the reasons why you didn't fill in a form earlier.

You need to tell us anything you think we might need to know.

For example, was it because:

• You were ill before you claimed?
• Someone in your family was ill?
• You had been in hospital?
• You have been unable to manage your affairs?
• You can't write or understand English very well?

If you did not understand that you could claim benefit, tell us whether you asked anyone if you could claim and give any reasons why you did not think you could claim.

Everyone's reasons will be different and we will take into account your age and personal circumstances when we decide if we can backdate your claim.

You can ask us to look at your claim again, or you can appeal to a review board.

If you are unhappy with the decision you will find more details on the appeals pages.