Bedroom Tax: Do you qualify for a refund?

From the Shelter website: If you live in England, have claimed housing benefit continuously from before 1 January 1996 and your housing benefit has been cut by the "bedroom tax", a legal loophole means you may get a full refund.

In January 2014 the Government announced that "bedroom tax" cuts to housing benefit should not have been applied to some people. The loophole applies to people who have been claiming housing benefit continuously for the same home for the past 17 years.

Those affected include people who have been working for low wages or are long term sick or disabled. You may also be due a refund if you took over a benefit claim when a partner or family member died or from a former partner following a relationship breakdown.

If the loophole applies to you, the council owes you money. All the money cut from your housing benefit since April 2013 should be refunded into your rent account. The council may contact you about this if it checks its records and agrees a mistake has been made. But if you think you could be entitled to a refund, make sure you ask the council to review your housing benefit claim.

There are more details including exceptions to the "bedroom tax" loophole, evidence and getting help on the Shelter website.