Vauxhall's factory at Ellesmere Port is to be one of four plants in Europe that will build the new Astra.
When can you pay my benefit from?
If you qualify for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit we usually pay it from the Monday after we get your claim or the Monday after your application form was issued, if received within one month.
Sometimes we can pay benefit before the date you claim. This is called 'backdating' your claim.
The law says that we can backdate a claim for up to 52 weeks if we receive a request in writing.
But, there has to be a good reason why your claim is late. This is known as 'good cause'. Good cause must be continuous for the period you want benefit backdated.
What do you mean by 'good cause'?
Good causes include the following.
For example
In this case, we would consider backdating your benefit to January.
But
We would only pay your benefit from May because 'good cause' did not continue from January to May.
What should I do if I think I have 'good cause' for my late claim?
If you think you have 'good cause' for making a late claim, you should:
You need to tell us the period you want it backdated for, and give full details of why your claim is late.
We will then consider whether we can backdate your benefit.
What happens to my Benefit when my Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance ends?
This counts as a change of circumstances. You will need to provide proof of your new income and savings within one calendar month if income support or job seekers allowance ends. If not, your claim will be cancelled back to the date your income support or job seekers allowance ended
We can consider if you have any 'underlying entitlement' if you provide proof of your actual income, if an overpayment occurred due to cancellation of your housing benefit or council tax benefit.
Underlying entitlement
When calculating how much a recoverable overpayment is, we have to take into account, whatever amount housing benefit and council tax benefit would have been awarded had the local authority known the true facts of the case throughout all changes of circumstances had been notified to us on time.
Example:
If your housing benefit and council tax benefit had been cancelled due to a change in your circumstances and you provided proof of all income and savings, we can consider reducing any overpayment that was created due to the cancellation of your claim. We would look at your claim again based on the information you have provided, as if we originally had the correct income and savings evidence.
What is Rapid Reclaim?
The idea of Rapid Reclaim is that it should be easier, and quicker, for you to reclaim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit (or both).
For example, you start work and come off Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance. But then you stop working and claim benefit again.
If you reclaim within 12 weeks of when your Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance ended, Jobcentre Plus will give you a Rapid Reclaim Pack.
Form HBRR1 is in that pack, and you can use it to reclaim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
What can I do if I don't agree with your decision?
If you don't agree with our decision, you can ask us to look at it again. Our letters tell you what your rights are. Please see 'What to do if you disagree with a Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit decision' for more detailed information.
Where can I get help?
The council offers free, independent, confidential advice on the following benefits:
If you need to find out whether you are eligible for any of these benefits or if you need help completing benefit forms, please get in touch with our Independent Benefit Advisor, Karen Linford.
Phone Karen on 0151 356 6607 or email karen.linford@epnbc.gov.uk
Home visits can be arranged if required.
Advice is also available from Ellesmere Port and Neston's Citizens Advice Bureau.
