Benefits Backdating Campaign

During 2008 CALC, along with many other bureaux, campaigned vigorously against Government proposals to cut backdating of Housing Benefit (HB), Council Tax Benefit and Pension Credit. The cuts nevertheless went ahead from October 2008. However as a consequence of the campaigning, backdating cuts for working age claimants were limited to six months rather than three as proposed, and Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) agreed to review the impact of the cuts throughout 2009, before taking further action.

Citizens Advice also persuaded the DWP to set up a system to monitor feedback from advisers. A part of this monitoring included the production of a questionnaire for advice agencies and others to complete to feed back their views and evidence on this issue
 

The DWP would then use this evidence, together with that obtained from HB departments, to decide on whether to extend the cuts by limiting backdating to three months for claimants of working age as originally proposed.

As CALC has been active in opposing these cuts Case Workers Martin Hagues, Elizabeth Warrilow and Nova Postlewaite agreed to provide the DWP with evidence in the form of relevant case studies to be sent in over the 6 month period that data is being collected. All completed questionnaires are to be returned to Richard Grennan of the DWP Housing Benefit Strategy Division.
 

For more information contact:

Mrs Amanda Leadbeater
Tel: 01332 228724,
Email: amanda.leadbeater@citizensadviceandlawcentre.org