Housing benefit overpayments

An overpayment is an amount of housing benefit that has been paid, for which there was no entitlement. It is your responsibility to inform the council of all changes in your circumstances which affect your income, capital and people living in your household.

For example:

• you fail to inform us that your income has increased
• you fail to inform us that you have started work
• you have a change in the number of people living in your household
• you fail to inform us of an increase in your works pension     

About this service

We will notify you in writing, if you have an overpayment of housing benefit.

What you must do

If you disagree with the housing benefit overpayment decision, you have the right to seek a review of our decision.  You must request the review within one month of the written notification.

What we must do

You have the right of appeal to an independent appeals tribunal. the appeals service

What happens next?

You can ask for a review of a decision to calculate an overpayment of housing benefit.  Any such request should be made within one month of the written decision notification.

Some frequently asked questions

What happens if i am overpaid housing benefit?

An overpayment of housing benefit will be recovered from either the person who caused the overpayment, or the person who received the overpayment.  We will notify you in writing if you have been overpaid housing benefit.  You can ask for a review of the decision to calculate an overpayment.  Any such request should be made within one month of the written decision notification. 

A landlord can request a review, where recovery of overpaid housing benefit is being sought from him personally.

for example:

• an invoice for payment has been issued to the landlord 
• a deduction is being made from the housing benefit the landlord receives for one of his tenants (this method of recovery can be made in respect of another tenant's entitlement)