Extended Payment
The general idea is that you will receive the same amount of Housing and Council Tax Benefit for the first 4 weeks when you return to work that you had been receiving when you were unemployed, even if you wouldn't normally qualify for any help based on your new wages.
The Employment Service Jobcentre or Benefit Agency Office should notify us that you qualify for Extended Payments but you can always check this with them.
If for any reason, you employment ends with in the first 26 weeks, please complete a Rapid Reclaim form on the Gov.uk website to speed up you Housing and Council Tax Benefit claim. Alternatively, these forms are available from The Department of Work and Pensions.
Extended Payments - Example
For example: whilst you were unemployed you have been receiving £50 per week Housing Benefit and £10 per week Council Tax Benefit.
When you start work you qualify for £7 per week Housing Benefit and £2 per week Council Tax Benefit. This is called your Inwork Benefit.
However, under the scheme we can still pay you £50 per week Housing Benefit and £10 per week Council Tax Benefit for the first 4 weeks that you are at work. This is called your Extended Benefit.
Extended Payments Eligibility
To qualify for extended payments, your Income Support or Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance must stop because:
- you or your partner are starting work
- you or your partner are going to work more hours
- you or your partner are going to earn more money
The new job or extra hours must be expected to last at least 5 weeks.
You must be in receipt of Income Support or Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance at the time you find work or increase your hours, but for the last 26 weeks (without a break) you could have been getting:
- Income Support - because you were a lone parent or carer, or
- Jobseeker's Allowance - Income Based or Contribution Based, or
- Income Support or Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance while on a Government training scheme, or
- a combination of any of these.
On the day after your benefit stops you must be under pension age.
You must have to pay rent or Council Tax for at least another 5 weeks. If you move to a new address you can still claim.
Your completed claim form must reach your Jobcentre or Social Security office or Council Benefit section within 8 days starting from the day your Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support stops.
Claim forms (called NHB 1EP) are available from the Benefit Agency and Employment Service Jobcentre.
What happens after your Extended Benefit Payments stop?
You may still be able to get some Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit after your Extended Benefit stops.
As soon as you know you're starting work please complete a new claim using our online form.
Alternatively, you can download and complete our . Please don't delay in sending this form back to us.
