Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support
Housing Benefit Overpayments
Housing Benefit Overpayments
Sometimes too much Housing Benefit and Council Tax support is paid and when this is corrected an overpayment can result.
There can be a number of reasons for this including the Council not being informed of changes that affect Housing Benefit and Council Tax support entitlement on time.
The reason for the overpayment is included in your notification letters along with your appeal rights if you disagree with the Housing Benefit and Council Tax support overpayment, but if you require a further explanation of an overpayment please contact us.
If a Council Tax support overpayment is recoverable from you the overpayment amount will be added to your council tax account and will be included in your revised Council tax payments schedule or may be requested in a lump sum.
If a Housing Benefit overpayment is recoverable from you there are a number of ways for you to pay it back.
Repaying a Housing Benefit overpayment
If you are still in receipt of Housing Benefit, we can take it straight out of your Housing Benefit.
If your Housing Benefit has ceased, you can make an arrangement to pay this off in instalments via credit or debit card, paying at a bank or setting up a standing order. Please contact us to arrange a repayment plan.
The Council can ask the Department for Work and Pensions to make deductions to repay overpaid Housing Benefit from certain benefits
The Council can ask employers to make deductions from earnings to repay overpaid Housing Benefit.