Watford Borough Council

Your claim for benefit must be made in writing, either on a benefits application form or by letter. Normally we will start your claim from the Monday after we receive your application form or letter. It is important that you get your application form or letter to us as soon as possible because it affects the date your benefit claim will start from.

If we send you an application form we will allow you 4 weeks to complete and return it. If you take longer than 4 weeks to return the form you might lose entitlement to some of your benefits.

A claim can only be backdated for maximum of 52 weeks from the date of your claim. In order for a claim to be backdated we must be satisfied that:

• you have shown good cause for failing to claim earlier and
• that good cause existed continuously during the period for which backdating is being requested

You have to prove "good cause" but we must take account of all the facts of your case. Some examples of when you may have "good cause" are:

• If you did not immediately claim benefit after leaving hospital
• If you were ill and had no-one to make a claim on your behalf
• If you did not understand that you could claim benefit perhaps because of age, inexperience or language difficulties
• If you have suffered a recent family bereavement

Your claim will be considered by a Benefits Officer. The more information and evidence you give in support of your claim the quicker a decision can be made. Sometimes it may be necessary to write to you for more information or to ask you to come in for an informal interview.

Your claim will be looked at and you will be sent a letter telling you of our decision. If we have decided that you have not shown "good cause" & that we cannot backdate your claim, the reasons for this will be explained in our letter.

You will then have the right of appeal against our decision not to backdate your claim.