Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit is normally awarded from the Monday after the day you made your claim.  You may feel that you should have had benefit awarded to you before then.  The law says that in certain circumstances we can backdate your benefit up to 6 months if you can give a good reason why you did not apply sooner.

What is good reason?

Some examples are:

• 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, Citizens Advice Bureau, social worker, DWP staff
• language difficulties

There has to be a continuous good reason i.e. that you had a "good reason" for the whole period otherwise we will not be able to award your backdated benefit. Good reason does not include things like forgetting to send us your claim, being away on holiday or not knowing you could claim.

What do I do now?

You can apply for backdated benefit by writing to us at Customer Services, Maldon District Council, Princes Road, Maldon, Essex, CM9 5DL. Please remember to give us as much information as possible about why you think your claim should be backdated, the date from which you think your claim should be backdated to, and most importantly provide "good reason" as explained above. Please remember: If someone else contacts us on your behalf about this matter or any other benefit related issue, we will normally need written permission from you to enable us to deal with that person.

Alternatively you could email your request and information, along with your full name, address and reference number to our Customer Services team at Customer.Services@maldon.gov.uk.

What happens next?

We will reply within 14 days.  If we refuse your claim for backdating, we will send you details of how to appeal.

Where to get advice

You can call our Customer Contact Centre at Maldon District Council, Princes Road, Maldon, on 01621 854477 or email Customer.Services@maldon.gov.uk.

You can contact the local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) at St Cedd's House, Maldon, Essex, CM9 5NY. Telephone: 01621 841195 or you can visit the local CAB website at http://www.maldoncab.org.uk/ for more information and opening hours or click here to see the CAB page on this site.

Moat Housing Association Tenants only: Moat Housing employ a Welfare Benefits Officer, who is able to assist Moat tenants with all aspects of their benefit claims from making a new claim to appealing against a decision. If you require assistance it is also possible to carry out a full benefits check up to ensure you are claiming everything you are entitled to. The Welfare Officer can be contacted on 01621 876522 or click here to access the Moat Housing website for more information.