Overpayment of Housing Benefit

What happens if I have been overpaid Housing Benefit?

If you have been overpaid for Housing Benefit, you will receive information that explains

• The reason for the overpayment
• The period of the overpayment
• The amount of the overpayment
• Why it is a recoverable overpayment
• How it is going to be recovered, and who from
• Details of your right of appeal

How are overpayments recovered?

If you continue to receive Housing Benefit, a weekly amount can be deducted from your ongoing Benefit entitlement to help repay an overpayment.

• If the weekly deduction were, for example, a deduction of £5.00 a week, you would need to pay an extra £5.00 per week in rent to your landlord.
• If the weekly deduction is causing financial difficulty, you should contact the Benefit Recovery team as the level of recovery can be adjusted.

If your Housing Benefit stops you will receive an invoice for any outstanding balance on your overpayment of Housing Benefit. You may also receive a second invoice for any new overpayment created after your Housing Benefit claim has been cancelled.

How to pay an overpayment invoice

You can pay in full or in instalments. The invoice has all the available payment options on the back.

Direct Debit: Setting up a Direct Debit over the telephone is easy.

Call us on 0115 915 4497. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm except on Wednesday which is 9.30am to 5.00pm.

Pay by Telephone: Invoices can also be paid through our 24 hour automated telephone service or online.

Contact the Benefit Recovery team to make an arrangement to pay

Pay by telephone.

Make a payment online

Pay online

Recovery Action – Failure to Pay

Please get in touch with the Benefit Recovery team to ensure further recovery action is not necessary.

Further recovery action can include:

• Direct Earnings Attachment if you are at work
• Direct deductions from any DWP that you may receive;
• Referral to an external Debt agency;

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Deductions 

Local Authorities will use this method to recover overpaid Housing Benefits by direct deductions from a citizen's prescribed DWP benefit (e.g. Universal Credit).  

The DWP are solely responsible for setting the recovery rate on any overpayments of Housing Benefit referred to them.

If you are having financial difficulty and having deductions made from your DWP benefit please contact the DWP Debt Centre directly on 0800 916 0647.

Direct earnings attachment

Local Authorities will use this method to recover overpaid Housing Benefits by direct deductions from a citizen's earnings. This is without a need to apply for a court order.

Notifications are issued to the citizen and the employer to help explain the stages of the process.

• A complete Employer guide to Direct Earnings Attachments

Appeal an overpayment

You can find out more about how to appeal a benefit decision by clicking below link.

• Appeal a Housing Benefit decision’ page.

Downloads

• Benefit Recovery Direct Debit Form