Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction - Extended Payments

Extended Payments of Housing Benefit and or Council Tax Reduction

To be eligible for an extended payment, you must be in receipt of Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (income based), Employment and Support Allowance or Severe Disablement Allowance, which will cease when you or your partner start work or increase your hours or wages.

Also, for at least 26 weeks immediately prior to Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (income based), Employment and Support Allowance, or Severe Disablement Allowance ceasing, you must have been continuously:

• registering as unemployed, or registering as unemployed and getting Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance (income based) - JSA(IB) because of low earnings. Periods of receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance (contribution based) - JSA(C) without Income Support will count towards the 26 weeks but you must be in receipt of Income Support or JSA(IB) at the point that either you or your partner start work or increase hours/wages; or,
• in receipt of Income Support as a lone parent receiving the lone parent premium; or,
• in receipt of Income Support as a carer and in receipt of the carer premium; or,
• in receipt of Income Support and on a Government training scheme; or,
• any combination of the above;

Additionally,

• your new job or increase in hours/wages must be expected to last for at least 5 weeks;
• you must have a continuing rent/Council Tax liability, and be liable for rent or Council Tax immediately before the claim for Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based), Employment and Support Allowance or Severe Disablement Allowance ceases.

We will take automatically take these factors into account when deciding if you are entitled to an Extended Payment, you do not have to apply.

If you receive Employment and Support Allowance or Severe Disablement Allowance and Pension Credit, you will not be entitled to an extended payment. Housing Benefit/Council Tax Reduction is paid by us until we are advised by the Pension Service that your Pension Credit has been re-assessed. Therefore, the period prior to receipt of your first wage or higher wage, will be covered.