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How long will it take to work out my benefit?
Please make sure that you send us all the documents we ask for on the claim form and that you have answered all the questions.
We will try to work out your benefit within two weeks of receiving your claim. This is not always possible, especially if we need more information or documents from you or the Department for Work & Pensions. In these cases, we will deal with your claim as quickly as possible once we have received all the information we need.
The quicker you supply all the necessary information or documents the quicker we can deal with your claim.
Your benefit will normally start on the Monday after we receive your claim. If you receive Income Support (IS), income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA-IB) or income related Employment & Support Allowance (ESA-IR), and you make a claim within one calendar month of your application for IS, JSA-IB or ESA (IR), your benefit claim will normally start on the Monday after IS, JSA-IB or ESA-IR is awarded.
We will only consider backdating your claim for benefit if you can show us you had good reasons for not claiming benefit earlier and that good reasons continued up to the time that you made your claim. Not knowing that you could claim will not normally be considered as a "good reason". However, not claiming because you were in hospital or had severe health problems or a close relative had died would be considered as "good reason".
Find out more about backdating your benefit
Can I apply for benefit if I am self-employed?
You can apply for benefit if you are self-employed. So we can work out your benefit, we will need to see your latest accounts. If you do not have accounts, or you have been trading for less than a year, we will need to see a summary of your accounts and the book you use every day to make a record of your business.
We will usually ask you to fill in a "Self-employed" form as well. Please contact the Benefits Office for a Self-Employed form or to download a copy in Adobe Acrobat format please see the Download Application Forms page.
If you want more information about this, please ask for a copy of our "Self-employed" leaflet or download a copy in Adobe Acrobat format.
What happens if my landlord, for non-payment of rent, is threatening me with eviction?
If you are not claiming Housing Benefit, please see the Private Landlord and Tenant Issues page.
If you have claimed Housing Benefit and are waiting to be advised of your entitlement, but have not supplied all the necessary information, you must provide the documents/details requested immediately. This will enable your entitlement to be calculated and paid. Please inform the customer services team of your threatened eviction.
If you are already in receipt of Housing Benefit, but the amount is less than your weekly rent, you may be eligible for Discretionary Housing Payments.
What happens if I am not happy with my benefit?
If you are not happy with the way we have worked out your benefit, you can ask us to look at your claim again. If you want us to do this, you should write to us within one month of the date of the letter telling you of our decision about your benefit.More information about Decisions, Disputes & Appeals.
Can I claim backdated benefit?
If you wish to claim backdated benefit you will have to show ‘good cause’ as to why you failed to claim earlier.
More information about backdated benefit.
What happens if I go away from home?
If you go away from your home for a week or more you should contact us before you go. If you do not contact us your benefit may stop and you may have to make a new claim on your return. If you contact us first you are still entitled to receive Housing benefit for up to 13 weeks.
If you return after 13 weeks have gone past we will not normally be able to pay you any benefit for the time you were away even if you told us before you left.
There are different rules for people who have to leave their home to go into hospital, or are fleeing domestic violence or are remand prisoners.
In all cases you must intend to return to the property within either 13 or 52 weeks (as applicable) and you must not charge somebody else rent for living in your accommodation whilst you are away.
Going into hospital
If you go into hospital we can pay your benefit for up to 52 weeks provided that you are expected to return home within that time. However, the amount of benefit that we can pay you may decrease if you are in Hospital for more than 4 weeks. You do not need to contact us before you go into hospital to receive benefit for the time that you are in Hospital. However, if possible you should ask a friend, or relative, or a hospital social worker to let us know where you are as soon as possible.
Fleeing Domestic Violence
It is possible for Housing benefit to be paid for up to 52 weeks if you have had to leave your home because of fear of domestic violence. If you are in a women’s refuge you should ask one of the workers to contact us, if you feel unable to do so yourself, even if the refuge is not in Bournemouth. We will not disclose your refuge address to anyone.
Going into prison
If you are in prison as a remand prisoner you can still receive benefit for up to 52 weeks. If during this time you are sentenced and committed to prison your Housing benefit will stop unless your sentence is for 13 weeks or less. You do not have to inform us before you go to prison to receive benefits however you or a friend, or relative, or a prison social worker should inform us of what has happened as soon as possible.
What happens if I rent from a close relative who does not live there?
If the relative from who you rent the flat does not live there, you can claim Housing Benefit provided that the tenancy is let on a strictly commercial basis. However, further information regards the arrangements may be requested and each case will be assessed accordingly.
By partner we mean someone, regardless of gender, that you are married to or live with as if you were married or a civil partner, or live with as if you were civil partners.
| Contact details | |
|---|---|
| Bournemouth Council | |
| Town Hall, Bourne Avenue Bournemouth BH2 6DY | |
| Tel: 01202 451451 | |
| Fax: 01202 451000 | |
| Minicom: 01202 454728 | |
| Email: Enquiries | |