# Backdated Unemployment Benefit



## wrymill (23 Nov 2005)

I left a temp contract in December 2003 and took a break until March 2004.  I signed on from March onwards until I started working again in April 2004.  Am I still entitled at this stage in 2005 to claim the UB I did not receive from December 03 to March 04?


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## ClubMan (23 Nov 2005)

Normally any outstanding entitlements are backdated and paid when you sign on and qualify for payment (e.g. in the case of somebody leaving their job voluntarily payment might be deferred for up to nine weeks after the date that unemployment started). Did you not inquire about backdating your claim at the time when you signed on first? I'm not sure if you can claim backpayments now for the period that you mention but you should contact _Welfare _to check.  When you say that you took a break you should note that if you were not actively seeking and available for work then you should not be claiming _UB/UA _at all.


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## Berni (23 Nov 2005)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> Normally any outstanding entitlements are backdated and paid when you sign on and qualify for payment


The claim is normally deemed to have started the day you presented to make the claim, not when you left work. If there are extenuating circumstances why you could not present sooner, backdating can be considered, but is by no means automatic.


(Two years later would be deemed chancing your arm  )


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## ClubMan (23 Nov 2005)

Berni said:
			
		

> The claim is normally deemed to have started the day you presented to make the claim, not when you left work.


When I claimed _UB _a few years ago I signed on a bit late but my claim was backdated to the date of my unemployment plus whatever number of days (6?).


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## Berni (23 Nov 2005)

And it often is - people rarely finish up work at 5pm one day & show up at the  social welfare office the next.  However a gap of weeks/months rather than days would lead to rather more questions.


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## ClubMan (23 Nov 2005)

The gap in my case was a matter of weeks and it didn't cause any problems for my claim. I agree that months or years might be another matter though.


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## Berni (23 Nov 2005)

Rules for it are here, [broken link removed] , but basically the 'prescribed time' to claim UB is on the first date of entitlement, and any gap between then and when you claim will put you at the tender mercies of the Deciding Officer. 

They have quite a bit of leeway though, as you found, because to quote the site linked above, "  'Good cause' is not generally defined in the legislation, and must be assessed by Deciding Officers by the application of common sense"


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## ClubMan (23 Nov 2005)

Thanks for that link _Berni_.


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## wrymill (24 Nov 2005)

Thanks for the replies.  I was just wondering about this more than anything else - I did think it was unlikely that I would be able to claim for those missing months.


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