Can My Claim Be Backdated?

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If you want us to consider paying your benefit from an earlier date you can ask for it to be backdated. We may be able to backdate for a maximum of 52 weeks. Please click here to download a 'Backdating Form' (pdf 304kb).

You must be able to provide good reasons why you did not claim from an earlier date. Each case will be considered on its own merit and it is important that you include all relevant information and evidence to support your request. 

For example, if the reason that you could not claim was that you were ill and had no one to claim on your behalf, you should send us a letter or statement from your doctor confirming this.

In additions to completing the backdating form, you may also wish to download the backdating questionnaires that will guide you through the information which should be provided. Please click here for guidance on the information we would require for backdating (pdf 32kb) and click here to see the information we would require if you are providing late information (pdf 30kb). 

Here are some other examples of what may be a good reason for requesting that we backdate your claim

• You can not manage your own affairs and have no one to act on your behalf
• You did not know that you could claim benefit because of your age, reading difficulties or language difficulties

We will write to you if we need further information to help us make our decision.

Once we have considered your request we will write to you to tell you whether or not your request for backdated benefit has been successful. If it has, we will tell you how much benefit you have been awarded. If however we have decided that we can not award you backdated benefit, we will write to you to tell you why. If you do not agree with our decision, you can appeal.

Contact us

By telephone

020 7525 1880 - housing and council tax benefit
020 7525 1850 - council tax

By post

Council Tax Section
London Borough Of Southwark
P.O. Box 782
Bromley
BR1 3YE

Please indicate which department your query is for.

In person

Bermondsey One Stop Shop
Spa Road
Bermondsey
SE16 3QN

Peckham One Stop Shop
Ground Floor
Peckham Library
122 Peckham Hill Street
SE15 5JR

Walworth One Stop Shop
151 Walworth Road
London
SE17 1RY

Dulwich Area Housing Office
41-43 East Dulwich Road
Dulwich
SE22 9BY

All one stop shops are open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. In addition, Peckham one stop shop is open on Saturday, 9am to 1pm.

By email

Housing/council tax benefit: souhousingbenefitsuk@liberata.com
Council tax: soucounciltaxuk@Liberata.com