How long can we backdate your benefit for?
Pension-age customers
Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Support (CTS) - We should automatically backdate the start of your HB and CTS for up to three months before the date you claimed. You shouldn't need to ask for this but let us know if you think we have missed it.
Council Tax Support only - You can ask us to backdate your CTS for up to 12 months. You must give us more information and show that you had good reasons for not claiming sooner throughout the backdating period.
You can check the Government's website to find out when you reach the qualifying age for State Pension Credit.
Working-age customers
Housing Benefit - We can sometimes backdate your HB for up to one month before the date you claimed.
Council Tax Support - We can sometimes backdate your CTS for up to 12 months before the date you claimed.
You must give us more information and show that you had good reasons for not claiming sooner throughout the backdating period.