Extended Payments
A guide to Extended Payments of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
What is an Extended Payment of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit?
An Extended Payment is 4 weeks extra Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, awarded when you or your partner start work (including self-employment) or your hours or earnings from your current employment increase.
You may be entitled to claim up to 4 weeks extra Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit at the same rates you were getting when you were receiving Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based).
Who can apply for an Extended Payment?
You can apply if you or your partner:-
- have been registered as unemployed; or
- have been on a government training course; or
- are a lone parent; or
- are a carer; and/or
- are receiving the disability premium because you are incapable of work.
You or your partner must also have been receiving Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based) at the point you started work or hours or earnings increased.
You must have been receiving this for a period of 26 weeks or more. Job Seekers Allowance (Contribution Based) will count towards the 26 weeks.
You can also apply if you or your partner have been receiving one of the following benefits for a continuous period of 26 weeks or more:
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
Additionally:
- You must be under 60 years old on the day after Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based) ends. This condition only applies to the person who was claiming Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based), Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance.
- Your new job, increase in hours or earnings must be expected to last for 5 weeks or more.
- You must be responsible for paying rent/Council Tax before and after your Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based), Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance ends.
What will I be entitled to if I qualify?
If you qualify, you will be entitled to up to 4 extra weeks of Housing Benefit and / or
Council Tax Benefit payable at the same rate (unless you move house) as you were getting whilst receiving Income Support, Job Seekers Allowances, Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance. It does not matter how much you earn.
You may also get extra weeks of Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance. This could be 2 weeks for lone parents or 4 weeks towards your mortgage interest if you are an owner occupier
How do I claim an Extended Payment?
You must inform the Council within 4 weeks if you or your partner start work or increase hours or earnings either. You must do this in writing or by telephone. We will then contact the Department for Work and Pensions to confirm that you meet the qualifying conditions. If you satisfy the conditions we will pay up to a further 4 weeks benefit from the Monday after your Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance ends.
What if my new job, increase in earnings or hours do not last 5 weeks or more?
As long as it was expected that your new job or increase in your earnings or hours would last for 5 weeks or more, you will still be entitled to an Extended Payment.
Can I appeal against a decision not to award an Extended Payment?
If you are unhappy with our decision not to pay an Extended Payment, you can ask for the decision to be reconsidered, or you can appeal against it. You can pick up an Appeals Leaflet from Revenue Services Reception at Lancaster or Morecambe Town Hall.
Can I claim normal Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit now I’m working or earning more?
If your pay is low, you may still receive some Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, and you will need to complete a new claim form. We will send you one automatically when your benefit has stopped or you can pick one up from Lancaster or Morecambe Revenue Services Reception.
We will need to know all of your income details and we usually ask for 5 weekly, 3 fortnightly or 2 monthly wage slips. If your new employer can provide details of your earnings straightaway we can process your claim before you receive the required number of wage slips.
To avoid losing benefit we must receive your new claim form within 4 weeks of the end of the period that you received an Extended Payment for.
Please do not delay in claiming or you may lose benefit you are entitled to.
Do you require further information?
Should you require more information regarding Extended Payments you can contact the Benefits Section in the following ways:By calling in to Revenue Services Reception at Lancaster or Morecambe Town Hall
By writing to:
The Benefits Team
Revenue Services
P O Box 4
Lancaster
LA1 1QR
By telephoning: (01524) 582965
By Fax: (01524) 582260
By E-mail: benefits@lancaster.gov.uk
Reminder: Changes of Circumstances
You must tell us about any changes in your circumstances and in the circumstances of anyone who lives in your household, within one calendar month of the change.
It is an offence to knowingly or dishonestly fail to notify the Council promptly of a change in circumstances that could affect Housing Benefit entitlement or the amount of benefit payable.