Housing benefit overpayment

An overpayment is when we have paid too much money to you. Overpayments may happen because you have had a change in your circumstances. Responsibility for repaying the money depends on the reason for the change.

Disagreeing with an overpayment

Your overpayment letter explains what the overpayment was for and the dates you have been overpaid. If you disagree with the overpayment you can ask for the decision to be reconsidered.

Your reconsideration request must be made in writing. It must be within one calendar month of the date of the letter.

Recovering overpayments

If you are still in receipt of Housing Benefit, we may reduce the amount you are paid each week. We write to you tell you how much we are deducting, when and how to pay. If you can't pay the money back at the rate we set, you should contact us.

You can get more information on overpayments by downloading our Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction overpayments policy document.