What is an overpayment?
This is when you are paid benefit to which you are not entitled.
How will I know if I have got an overpayment?
We will write to you. In the letter you receive from us, we will give you the full details of the overpayment. We will tell you:
- What caused the overpayment.
- The dates and the amount of the overpayment.
- How much the overpayment is.
- What to do if you disagree with the overpayment.
If we are going to ask you to pay back the overpayment we will write to you again to tell you how this will be done
What if I do not understand the overpayment?
There are several reasons why you may have received an overpayment of benefit
- You may have forgotten to let us know that your income has increased, for example, Working Families Tax
- Credit, wages, state benefits, work pensions.
- Somebody may have moved into or out of your home. This would mean that we will need to work out your claim again.
- If you have other adults living with you, their circumstances may have changed.
- You may have moved out of your home and not told us.
- You may have started work, or changed jobs.
Please do not rely on the Benefits Agency or your landlord to tell us about any changes.
If your overpayment is found to have been your fault, we will recover any benefit paid to you that you were not entitled
How is the overpayment recovered?
If you are still getting Housing Benefit, we may reduce this each week by the amount shown on your letter.
If you feel that the amount we are reducing your Housing Benefit by is causing you hardship, you can write and ask us to lower it. Please note, we may ask for more details.
If you stop getting Housing Benefit, we will invoice you. You can pay this at any post office. If you can’t afford to pay the invoice all at once you may be asked for income and expenditure details to arrange instalments. A Girobank card will be sent to you to pay at your local post office.
If your landlord was paid your benefit, we may ask the landlord to repay us in certain circumstances.
If you have been overpaid Council Tax Benefit, we will send you a new Council Tax bill, which will include any money you have been overpaid.
If you are a council tenant we may debit your rent account
What if I do not agree with the overpayment?
The first thing to do when you receive your overpayment letter is read it carefully. It will
contain a paragraph, which will explain what the overpayment is for and the dates you have been overpaid.
If you still disagree with the overpayment, or do not understand after reading the explanation you can phone, write to us or visit. You can also phone us and make an appointment or ask us to visit you in your home if you have difficulty in coming to us.
You can appeal against the overpayment. You must do this in writing, within one calendar month of the date on the letter.
Please do not ignore the overpayment. If your circumstances change, let us know as soon as possible.