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Backdating Of Housing and Council Tax Benefit

What is backdating? and when can we consider it?
Sometimes Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit customers think we should pay their benefit from a date before we received their claim. This is what we call backdating.

When can we consider backdating?
Backdating is sometimes possible but it can only be done in limited circumstances. It is always best to make your claim as soon you think you may need help. For example don't delay your claim because you are not sure if you will get help. Send your claim to us and provide the evidence.

If you do need us to backdate your benefit, the rules about when we can backdate are different depending on the customers age:

Pension age customers (those who have reached qualifying age for State Pension)

We can sometimes backdate the start of your benefit for up to three months before the date you claimed. You do not need to tell us why you didn't claim sooner, we should look out for claims we can backdate, but let us know if you think we should have backdated your claim and haven't.

Working age customers (under the qualifying age for State Pension)
We can sometimes backdate the start of your benefit (but not education benefits) for up to six months before the date you claimed. You must have good reason for not claiming sooner throughout the period that you are asking for backdating for.
(Please note that this includes some men who are under 65 but over the qualifying age for State Pension whilst the pension age is being equalised for men and women.)