Single benefit payment of �7,000 paid to Redbridge resident

A backdated benefit payment of more than �7,000 was claimed by a Redbridge resident this year, the Recorder can reveal.

The one-off sum of �7,269.30 of housing benefit was paid to one household in this financial year, and the amount was accrued following evidence from the claimant that was necessary for Redbridge Council to approve the payment.

The Recorder has not able to find out more information about the area in which the claimant lived for data protection reasons.

Redbridge Council leader Cllr Keith Prince urged people to ensure they are receiving the correct amount of benefit to prevent large sums being owed, adding a cap on paying backdated benefit could be unfair.

“It’s a difficult situation as this could be a family who are really needy and had been waiting for the money, so restricting this money is not the right thing to do,” he said.

“All we can do is urge people to make us aware of the changes to their circumstances as soon as possible,” he added.

A Redbridge Council spokesman said: “We follow guidance from the Department of Work and Pensions in terms of policy for housing benefit back payment.

“The payment results from a reconsideration over the payment of housing benefit. The council originally disallowed this claim due to insufficient supporting detail. Once this was received the due sum was paid.”

Housing benefit is paid to any resident who struggles to meet their rent, either to a private landlord or the council.

The government recently unveiled plans to cap the benefit paid to families with spare rooms in their house, which is estimated to affect social housing tenants with an average loss of �13 a week to their benefit.