Housing Benefit - Backdated Claims

Your Housing Benefit will usually start from the Monday after we receive your claim form.

It is important that you return your claim form as soon as possible as any delay may result in you losing out on Benefit entitlement. 

You can however ask for your claim to be backdated. The maximum period that your claim can be backdated is 6 months if you are of working age and 3 months if you are of pensionable age,  from the date that you make the request, which must be in writing.  However if you are of pensionable age your claim may automatically be backdated depending on your circumstances.   

Housing Benefit can only be backdated where you are able to show continuous good cause for failure to make an earlier claim. 

The question of backdating only arises when Housing Benefit is requested for a past period for which a claim has not been made. 

There is a question included on the Application Form which asks you to confirm the date that you want your claim to start from, if you want your claim backdated then please input the details here, giving the reasons for your delay in  submitting the application form.  

Alternatively you can write a letter to us detailing the reasons why you did not make an earlier claim. 

An example of good cause could include if you were unable to complete your application form as you had been in hospital. Good cause would not be that you had simply forgotten to complete the application form.  

However the best policy is to claim your Housing Benefit promptly in all circumstances.