BACS Payments (paid direct into your bank account)
The date you receive your payment can vary depending on your own bank’s number of clearing days and if there are any bank holidays which could delay payment.
Check your bank account before contacting us to make sure that payment is not pending. If payment is not pending, please contact us to see if the payment has been issued.
We will check that we have the correct bank account details as well as confirm the payment has been issued.
Once we have confirmed payment has been issued, we request that you continue to check your bank account for the next 2-3 days. If the payment has not been received after this period, you need to write to us with the following:
- A signed statement from you to say that you have not received the payment; and
- Your bank’s address and the name of the person at your bank you have been speaking to and a statement to say you are happy for us to discuss your payment details with them.
What we will do:
Once we have received your statement we will contact the person at your bank to try and trace the missing payment. We will also check that the payment has not been returned to us through the banking system. Once we have traced the missing payment, a replacement can be arranged.
It is not possible to give a timescale for replacing a missing BACS payment due to the complexities of the banking system. We therefore ask that you allow us 10 days to resolve your enquiry.
Once we have looked into your missing payment enquiry, we will write to let you know the outcome.
Cheque Payments
Housing Benefit cheques can be delayed if there is a problem with the post or there is a bank holiday.
It can take several days to stop a cheque and issue a replacement so please don’t report a missing cheque until 3 days after you normally receive it. This allows for any delay and will mean you can still cash that cheque.
Once a cheque has been reported as missing, we will stop it which means that even if you receive it over the following day or so, you will have to wait until a replacement has been sent to you. For lost/destroyed or stolen cheques, you need to contact us immediately.
What you need to do:
You can phone to report a missing cheque and we will stop it. However, to ask for a replacement cheque you need to:
- Send a letter stating you have not got the cheque and, if it is found, you will not attempt to cash it and you will return it to the Benefits Service.
- Include details of the missing payment. i.e. date of payment, amount and reference number. These should be given to you when you first contact the council to report the missing cheque.
OR
- Go to a Housing Benefit Office with a form of identification to complete a statement with an advisor (this is called an Indemnity Form). You can make an appointment to see an advisor by calling 01274 432772.
What we will do:
First, we will try to “stop” the cheque. This means it can not be cashed. If we can do this, and once we have your written statement or Indemnity Form, we will arrange for a replacement cheque to be sent to you.
It takes several days to stop a cheque through the banking system and arrange a replacement. Once you have completed a written statement / indemnity form, please allow us 10 days to produce a replacement cheque, or where the cheque has already been cashed, to inform you of this in writing.
Getting your Housing Benefit paid directly into your bank / building society account
You can have your Housing Benefit payments paid directly into your bank account instead of by cheque.
