Best Way to Prepare a Barnet Council Tax Reduction Backdating Request
If you qualified for Barnet Council Tax Reduction months ago but didn't claim, you can request working-age backdating for up to six continuous months before Barnet receives the written request — but only if you can show "continuous good cause" for the delay. Barnet's scheme requires the request in writing, and the council provides virtually no public guidance on what meets that standard. A request that describes the delay without showing continuous good cause may not meet the test. Here's how to build a request that addresses what the council is looking for.
What "Continuous Good Cause" Means
The standard isn't about having a dramatic excuse. It means showing that exceptional external circumstances prevented a reasonable person from applying throughout the entire period you're requesting backdating for.
Barnet's scheme identifies these grounds:
Severe physical or mental illness. Explain how the illness prevented you from applying throughout the requested period. Medical evidence strengthens this — for example, a GP letter confirming the period of incapacity or hospital records.
Sudden bereavement of an immediate family member. Explain when the bereavement occurred and how it prevented you from applying throughout the requested period. Include supporting evidence where available.
Incorrect advice from an official body. If an official body gave you incorrect advice that led you to delay applying, identify what you were told, when, and by whom. Include a copy or record of the advice where available. A mistaken assumption about Universal Credit alone is not the same as incorrect official advice.
How to Structure Your Request
A backdating request isn't a form — it's a written letter or statement submitted alongside your current application through the Benefits General Form portal. Structure matters because the person assessing your request needs to see the reason and requested period clearly.
Paragraph 1: State the backdating period. "I am requesting that my Council Tax Reduction be backdated from [date] to [date]." Be specific about dates and explain when you believe you first met the scheme's eligibility conditions.
Paragraph 2: Explain the continuous good cause. This is the core of the request. Explain what exceptional circumstances prevented you from applying and why they lasted throughout the requested period. If the reason was incorrect official advice: "On [date], [name the official body] told me [the exact advice]. I relied on that advice until [date], when I learned it was incorrect."
Paragraph 3: Explain what changed. "I am now applying because [I received the demand notice / my health improved / a family member helped me understand the process]." This shows the delay ended for a clear reason and you acted promptly.
Attach evidence. Match the evidence to the recognized ground: GP or hospital records for illness, documentation of the bereavement, or a copy or record of the incorrect official advice. A UC journal or demand notice can help establish dates, but does not by itself show continuous good cause.
Common Mistakes That Get Requests Rejected
"I didn't know about it." Unawareness by itself is not one of Barnet's listed grounds. The request needs to show a recognized ground and continuous good cause throughout the requested period.
Vague dates. "I've been struggling for a while" doesn't tell the assessor which months to backdate to. Use specific dates: when your income dropped, when you moved, when your UC started, when you first received a demand notice.
No evidence. A backdating request without supporting documents is just an assertion. A simple timeline — "UC started [date], first Barnet demand notice received [date], applied for CTS [date]" — helps establish dates, but it does not replace evidence of a recognized ground.
Asking for more than the scheme allows. Working-age backdating is limited to six continuous months before Barnet receives the written request. Request only a period within that limit for which you can show continuous good cause.
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What Happens After You Submit
Barnet's Benefit Service reviews the request alongside your main CTS application. If approved, your award is calculated from the backdated start date and credited against your council tax account — you'll see the adjustment on your next demand notice.
If rejected, the decision letter should explain why. You have the right to request an internal review within one calendar month of the decision notice date through Barnet's Benefits General Form or by writing to the Benefits Department (PO Box 238, Erith, DA8 9HL). If the internal review upholds the rejection, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England for free. The tribunal is independent of the council.
Who This Is For
- Barnet residents who qualified for Council Tax Reduction months ago but didn't claim
- Barnet residents who relied on incorrect official advice, including during a Universal Credit transition
- Residents whose severe physical or mental illness or sudden bereavement prevented them from applying
- Family members helping someone write a backdating request
Who This Is NOT For
- Anyone with council tax arrears facing enforcement — free debt advice from StepChange (0800 138 1111) or National Debtline (0800 808 4000) is the priority
- Pension-age residents — the pension-age scheme has different backdating rules
- People looking for a guarantee — backdating depends on meeting the continuous good cause test, and the council makes the decision
Building a Strong Request
An effective request needs a clear timeline, a recognized ground that held throughout the requested period, and documents that support both.
The Barnet Council Tax Reduction Guide includes a backdating request framework with the exact format, example timelines for the three most common delay scenarios, and a list of supporting evidence that strengthens each type of request. It also covers what to do if the request is rejected — the two-stage appeal process from internal review to the Valuation Tribunal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How far back can I backdate a working-age Barnet council tax reduction claim?
Working-age backdating is limited to six continuous months before Barnet receives the written request. You must show continuous good cause for the whole period you request.
Can I backdate if I simply forgot to apply?
Forgetting alone is not one of Barnet's listed grounds. Working-age backdating requires continuous good cause for the full requested period, up to six months. If an official body gave you incorrect advice, explain what you were told and include a record where available; a mistaken assumption about Universal Credit by itself may not meet the test.
Does the council tell you about backdating when you apply?
Barnet's public guidance gives limited detail on how to present a backdating request or what evidence to include. Submit your request in writing with the dates and supporting evidence.
What if my backdating request is rejected?
Request an internal review within one calendar month of the decision notice date through Barnet's Benefits General Form or by writing to the Benefits Department (PO Box 238, Erith, DA8 9HL). If the internal review upholds the rejection, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England — it's free and independent of the council. The tribunal can decide whether Barnet applied the scheme and backdating rules correctly.
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