Housing benefit/council tax question's

[AppleBlossom]

I applied for housing/council tax benefit from when I moved into my new house (24/2) but there was a few bits and pieces of info I needed to provide before they could process my application although they still sent my form and everything else off. I gave them some other stuff last week which they sent off but because I don't go through CSA for child benefit I needed my ex to write a letter confirming amount etc. I'm going to take that into them today so they can send it off. I paid the first 2 lots of rent and the next one is due out on 27th, plus I also paid £110 council tax even though I'm supposed to be exempt. Will they still backdate me for all the rent/council tax I've paid myself? And how long does the application process tend to take? Can't really afford to pay another £500 for rent

 

[lesleyann]

we put ours in on the 2nd march and have been paid but we are currently fighting for a weeks worth of back payment since we did not have 1 bit of paper they needed so they sent the claim off and within 2-3days we took the last bit in but because it was not all in on the first day they took the week off.

Ive been told what they do is date it from the next monday so if you took it in on a tuesday you would lose that week unless you fill in a backdate claim witch they can decline to give you the backdated money but you can appeal it.

But thats my personall experience with them so far hun. Oh and we pay our landlord on the 1st of every month but get our HB paid to us every 2weeks.

 

[elley_baby248]

They will only backdate it to the date you made the claim so you should in theory get the money back you paid for rent as for the money you paid for council tax i doubt you will get that back

 

[AppleBlossom]

Why won't I get the council tax money back though? I am 100% exempt from paying council tax and the benefit includes council tax payment...?

 

[milkmachine]

its taken a month and theyve only just started paying ours

 

[sparkswillfly]

You will get coucil tax payment back. It will show up as you being in credit on your council tax bill then ring them up and they will send you a cheque. Thats what they did for me.

Plus they will backdate it from the date you made the claim. You should ring them every couple of days to make sure its being done. It took me ages to get mine backdated once.

 

[elley_baby248]

Why won't I get the council tax money back though? I am 100% exempt from paying council tax and the benefit includes council tax payment...?

I never got mine back and had to pay another £95 that i owed until they had processed my claim.

 

[foxyroxie]

you will get it all back hun we did

 

[danni0509]

Why won't I get the council tax money back though? I am 100% exempt from paying council tax and the benefit includes council tax payment...?

you shouldnt of paid that council tax hun you should of just phoned them and said you was waiting for your council tax benefit claim to go through because i doubt very much that they will refund it but still ring up and check because they might be able to do something about this ive had loads of trouble with the council because of council tax were i paid too much for 3 months and did i hell get it back and over a year later im still trying to get it back now! but your council might be a little bit different to mine so definetly phone up and rant about it x x x

 

[AppleBlossom]

Thanks. I couldn't ring up about my benefits because there is no helpline which is rubbish. They will definately backdate my rent though won't they? I've paid £1000 already which was borrowed and will no doubt have to borrow another £500 to pay it again next week as I doubt they will have it processed by then

 

[elley_baby248]

They will only backdate it to the date the form was signed and all the paperwork was received. So if you handed in the form on the 1st april ut then handed n your tenancy agreement on the 19th april then they will probably backdate it to the 19th.....

 

[AppleBlossom]

On my form it asked when I would like it backdated from and the guy at the one stop shop said I would only get it backdated from the day I moved in even if I paid my rent beforehand but I paid my rent the day I moved in...

 

[elley_baby248]

Yeah i was told the same when i handed all mine in but then got a letter saying threy would only backdate it to the 1st of april as that was when they received all of the paperwork. They had received the form and some other bits and pieces on the day i moved in (27/2)

 

[AppleBlossom]

Nah lol they WILL backdate it, I've asked specifically and given a reason why. If they don't I will be on the phone to them straight away!!!