Backdating a claim PC. What is the date of claim?

My client claimed PCGC in September and requested three months’ backdating to June. Although his income and capital were low enough for him to qualify in September, he had forgotten about a withdrawal he made from a savings account in July and on the date to which he had requested backdating his capital was slightly too high for him to qualify. His claim has been disallowed. He has not been made an award with backdating limited to the date in July when his capital reduced to a level low enough for him to be eligible. I have advised him to claim again and request backdating to a date on which he would have qualified but he will have lost out on several weeks’ benefit that he would have qualified for if he’d been more circumspect with the backdating request on his original claim. Is the decision on the first claim correct? (Notional capital is not an issue here. My client’s income is very low and he has to call on his savings to meet routine weekly outlay).

DWP should have at least awarded from the date of claim. Backdating is almost a different decision. I am surprised this happened and unless the DM thought that the claimant still had the money (or treated it notionally), an award should have been made from the date the call was made/form was sent in.

This doesn’t look right at all. I’d recommend a complaint as it is wholly unreasonable to insist the claim is entirely decided on the basis of the circumstances at the point backdating was requested from. After all, who understands the rules that well? Anyone I know would request maximum backdating and leave it to the DWP to decide whether the conditions of entitlement were met at any point from that time.

I hope this was resolved.