Once we have assessed your benefits claim, we will send you a letter explaining your new benefit award. It will include:
- your award start date
- the amount of benefit awarded
- how it will be paid
- how often it will be paid
- a breakdown of how we worked out your entitlement.
To understand your benefit letter in more detail, please see Your benefit letter explained (93KB pdf)
Your letter also advises you what to do if you think we have made a mistake in calculating your award. If you think we have calculated your benefit incorrectly, you have the following options:
- telephone us for an explanation
- ask for a statement of reasons - please put this in writing and make it as specific as possible
- ask us to look at our decision again - please put this in writing within a month of the date on your award letter
- ask that the decision be looked at by the appeals service (which is independent of the council) - please write to us to say why you think our decision is wrong within a month of the date on your award letter.
If your situation changes, you must tell us immediately as your benefit may be affected. The type of changes we need to know about are:
- any increases in you or your partner's income or savings
- if anyone joins or leaves your household
- any rent changes