Housing benefits overpayment

You may get a benefits overpayment if:

• you gave us the wrong information when you applied for benefits
• you did not tell us about a change in your circumstances
• you should no longer be getting benefits, but you did not let us know
• we made a mistake
• information that you gave us was not taken into account

You will find out about a benefits overpayment if you:

• are given more money in benefits than you expected
• get a letter from us saying that you have been paid too much

If we have paid you too much in Housing Benefit and you continue to receive Housing Benefit , you do not need to do anything. We will take back any money you owe us by making weekly deductions from your future payments.

We will tell you how to pay back other benefits overpayments, and will send you an invoice which you can pay using this link:

If you cannot pay the full amount you owe us straight away, you can spread the payments out in instalments.

Contact us if you'd like to talk about paying back an overpayment in instalments.

If we say you have been paid too much in benefits, and you would like to appeal our decision, you should ask us:

• to look at our decision again
• for our reasons why we made this decision

You can do this in writing or over the telephone.

If we reject your appeal, but you still disagree with our decision, you should write to us and say why you think our decision is wrong.

Saying that you want to appeal is not enough. You must let us know your reasons why you think our decision is wrong.

You must make an appeal within 1 month of getting a decision or notification letter from us.

You could contact your local Citizens Advice office for help.