Overpayment of Benefit
Overpayment of Housing and Council Tax Benefit.
An Overpayment can happen if we pay you benefit that you are not
entitled to.
For example, if you did not tell us that your income had
increased and a recalculation of your claim means that you have
been paid too much benefit, there will be an overpayment.
When an overpayment is discovered the following facts are
established:
- the period of the overpayment,
- the amount of the overpayment,
- the cause of the overpayment.
The following decisions are then made:
- whether the overpayment is classed as recoverable,
- whether to recover the overpayment,
- from whom the overpayment should be recovered.
The benefit claimant will then receive a letter from the council
with details of the overpayment. If the Housing Benefit was
being paid to the claimant's landlord they will also receive a
letter.
How an overpayment is recovered.
Housing Benefit
In most cases an invoice will be issued. The council will
normally take a weekly amount from the claimant's ongoing Housing
Benefit to recover the overpayment if they are still
entitled.
Whether a weekly reclaim is set up or not the claimant must
contact the council if they are having difficulty repaying the
overpayment.
Council Tax Benefit.
Overpayments of Council Tax Benefit are transferred to the
claimant's Council Tax account and are included in future
installments.
Further information can be found at
http://www.benefit-leaflets.org/overpayments/overpayments-english.pdf
If you need any help you can:
write to us at:
You may post your information to:
South Worcestershire Revenues and Benefits Shared
Services
P.O Box 11
Pershore
Worcestershire
WR10 1PU
