Benefit - Overpayment

An overpayment of benefit occurs when we have paid out too much housing and council tax benefits but you are not entitled to it.

There are many reasons why overpayments happen, for example:-

• You are slow in telling us about a change in your circumstances that reduces your entitlement to housing benefit and council tax benefit.
• We made a mistake or failed to act quickly when dealing with your benefit and that mistake or delay has been corrected causing the overpayment.
• Jobcentre Plus, Pension Service or HM Revenues and Customs made a mistake and gave us incorrect information and this has now been corrected causing an overpayment.
• You have deliberately given us information that was wrong or not told us about something you should have so that you have been getting too much housing benefit or council tax benefit.

When we calculate an overpayment we send you a letter telling you about it. The letter gives the reason why there is an overpayment, how much it is for and what period it is for.  We tell you if the overpayment of benefit has to be paid back.

Most overpayments have to be repaid to us even if caused by an official error unless it was not reasonable for you to know you were being overpaid.  We send you benefit decision letters showing the information we are using to calculate your benefit so you should check these so you will spot any mistakes quickly and prevent benefit being overpaid to you.