Understanding benefit decision letters
When we deal with your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
claim, we'll send you a decision letter.
The letter will show:
- The start date of your benefit for new awards,
or the date your entitlement has changed when you've had a change
in circumstances and the date we've stopped your benefit if
your award has ended.
- How much benefit you
get. Further into the letter it'll show how
we worked out your benefit. You should check to make sure
the figures we've used are correct and contact us if you've any
queries.
- How your benefit will be paid. It will
detail the amount of your first payment and what your future
payments will be. It will also detail how benefit will be
paid and who it will be paid to.
- If you've been overpaid, the letter will
detail the amount of overpayment, the period the overpayment
covers, who it's recoverable from and how we'll recover it.
You should check these letters carefully.
If you're unhappy with our decision, you can ask us
to explain it in writing, ask us to reconsider our
decision or you can appeal. Further information can be found at
appealing a benefit decision.