Housing Benefit

[ssett]

I applied for housing benefit some time ago and after much correspondence and my subsequent request 4 months ago for a decision notice, I am told to just await one with no time frame of when to expect one.

 

How can I get the council to provide one? I am worried that they have just put my claim on hold indefinitely and I can't progress it to the tribunal stage yet if they refuse the claim as I haven't had a decision notice.

[unclebulgaria67]

Housing charity Shelter should be able to answer your question and can possibly help chase the council on your behalf.

 

Get help - Shelter England

 

Housing Benefit rules can be complex and therefore you need to speak to someone who deals with it as part of their job., hence recommending Shelter.   

 

I could not find any information to suggest that the Council has to comply with any specific time constrains in issuing decision notices.  

 

If Shelter cannot assist, your local MP's office should be happy to chase the Council and then you should gain a response from the Council.  They have to reply to MP correspondence without delay, I think 5 working days is expected.

[ssett]

16 hours ago, unclebulgaria67 said:

Housing charity Shelter should be able to answer your question and can possibly help chase the council on your behalf.

 

Get help - Shelter England

 

Housing Benefit rules can be complex and therefore you need to speak to someone who deals with it as part of their job., hence recommending Shelter.   

 

I could not find any information to suggest that the Council has to comply with any specific time constrains in issuing decision notices.  

 

If Shelter cannot assist, your local MP's office should be happy to chase the Council and then you should gain a response from the Council.  They have to reply to MP correspondence without delay, I think 5 working days is expected.

Thank you unclebularia67, I contacted my local Shelter but they said they didn't do help with housing benefit. Hmm, so the council can take forever it seems then - the gov a law unto themselves yet we have strict deadlines or we lose out if we fail to comply - no surprise there then! As for the MP - he is useless - he is a Con Party tool and has been of no help whatsoever in the past any time I contacted him