Extended payments
Contents
- Overview
- Who can claim
- Qualifying conditions
- How much you will be paid
- If you move outside the authority who will make the payment
- How you claim
- How your benefit will be paid
Overview
The extended payment scheme is designed to make it easier to move from income support, jobseekers allowance (income based), incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or employment and support allowance.
It allows you to remain on full Housing Benefit for an extra four weeks after you come off from income support, jobseekers allowance (income based), incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or employment and support allowance.
The extended payment starts from the Monday after your income support, jobseekers allowance (income based), incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or employment and support allowance ends.
Who can claim
The scheme is not available to everybody who comes off income support, jobseekers allowance (income based), incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or employment and support allowance . You have to satisfy certain qualifying conditions.
Qualifying conditions
- Income support, jobseekers allowance (income based), incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or employment and support allowance has been paid continuously for at least 26 weeks, and
- The work is for at least 16 hours per week and expected to last for at least 5 weeks
You must notify the Benefits Section as soon as possible. If any of the conditions above are not satisfied you will not be entitled to extended payment.
Extended payments are not payable for rent-free weeks.
How much you will be paid
The extended payment is paid at the same rate of Housing Benefit you received when you were receiving income support, jobseekers allowance (income based), incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or employment and support allowance.
All changes of circumstances within the extended payment period are ignored.
If liability to pay rent and/or Council Tax ends before the end of the extended payment period then the extended payment will end.
If you move outside the authority who will make the payment
Your existing council will make the payment.
How you claim
To claim you must notify the Benefits Section that you have started work or increased your hours as soon as possible.
If you still wish to claim Housing Benefit after your income support, jobseekers allowance (income based), incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance or employment and support allowance has ceased you must provide your income details as soon as possible.
We will contact you about this.
How your benefit will be paid
If you rent your home from the Council, we will pay your benefit straight into your rent account. This means that you will have less rent to pay.
If you rent from anyone else, we will send you the payment in the same way you received your rent payments.