If this is your first claim, your award will usually start from the Monday after we get your form. Even if you do not have all the supporting evidence we need, submit your form straight away, and send the evidence later.

The rules for backdating vary depending on age and circumstance:

Working age customers

You can claim for a backdated period if:

• you have already completed the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claim form; but
• feel you should have been entitled to help for a period before you made your claim, and
• you have been in occupation during the period backdating has been requested

The law says we can backdate your award of Housing Benefit for up to 1 month, and your award of Council Tax Reduction for up to 1 month, from the date we receive your request, if you can give good reason why you did not apply sooner. The good reason must apply over the full period for which you want backdating.

What is 'good reason'?

Some examples are:

• the death of a close relative;
• being in hospital or seriously ill;
• being wrongly advised by a person who should have known better, such as council staff, the Citizens Advice Bureau, a social worker, DWP staff;
• language difficulties;
• being unable to manage your affairs and not having anyone to help you.

For us to work out how much you will be entitled to you will need to give us proof of your income, savings and rent for the period you want to claim.

It would help your application if you can also provide any documentary evidence that you might have to support the reasons for your late application.

Once you have made your backdating request, we will make a decision based on the information you have given us. We will write and tell you our decision. If we refuse your request for backdating, we will send you details of how to appeal.

Customers over the qualifying age for Pension Credit

If you or you partner are over the qualifying age for Pension Credit, and qualify for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction (or both), we can backdate your award up to 3 months before the date you made your claim (as long as you were entitled for that period).

If you are over the qualifying age for Pension Credit and you are entitled from a date before you claimed we will give you your award automatically. We do not need to know why you did not claim sooner to backdate your award.

For us to work out how much you will be entitled to you will need to give us proof of your income, savings and rent for the period you want to claim.