Benefits and support Backdating your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support

Backdating benefit for pension-age customers

'Pension-age customers' are those who have reached the qualifying age for State Pension Credit. You can check when you reach the qualifying age for State Pension Credit on the government's website.

We can sometimes backdate the start of your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support for up to three months before the date you claimed. You do not need to tell us why you didn't claim sooner as we should look out for claims we can backdate. Do let us know though if you think we should have backdated your claim and haven't.

If you ask us to backdate your claim you must give us the following information:

  • the date you want us to start your benefit from;
  • details and evidence of the money you had coming in during the time between the date you want your benefit to start and now; and
  • details of who was in your household at that time.

If you are making a claim there is a backdating section in our online claim form.

If you have already made a claim you can ask us separately about backdating. We need your request in writing and you must sign it. Write to the Benefits Service, PO Box 3, Manchester, M15 5BA. Or you can make an appointment to speak to an advisor who will take details of your request.

If we refuse to backdate your benefit

If we refuse to backdate your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support you can appeal against our decision .

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