Skip to main content

If your circumstances change while you are claiming housing benefit but you do not tell us straight away you could be paid more benefit than you are entitled to. The difference between what you were actually paid and what you should have been paid is called an overpayment.

What happens if you are overpaid Housing Benefit?

We will send you a letter giving you the full details of the overpayment. The letter will tell you:

  • How the overpayment happened
  • The amount you were overpaid
  • The period of the overpayment
  • How we will recover the overpayment, and
  • What to do if you disagree with the overpayment

We have a duty to recover overpayments of benefit for which there was no entitlement or a reduced entitlement. We will look into the reasons as to why the overpayment occurred, decide if it is recoverable and who it should be recovered from. If your payments have been made direct to a landlord, we may decide to recover the overpayment from them.

How do you pay back the overpayment?

If you are still entitled to housing benefit we will reduce the amount you get (or the amount paid to your landlord if your benefit is paid direct to your landlord).

If you are no longer receiving housing benefit we will send you an invoice.

General FAQs