Housing benefit overpayments

We may have to work out your benefit amount again because you have had a change in your circumstances or we have found a mistake. If your benefit goes down and we have already paid you a higher amount there will be an overpayment.

Some examples of why an overpayment could have happened are:

• you may have forgotten to tell us that your income has increased, for example, you have had a pay rise, or your earnings, tax credits or pension have increased
• somebody may have moved into or out of your home and you have not told us
• if you have other adults living with you and their circumstances have changed and you have not told us
• you have moved out of your home and not told us
• you may or a member of your household may have started work or changed jobs
• there may have been a short delay between you telling us about a change and us changing your benefit award
• we may have made a mistake and put it right it later
• we may have made a mistake
• you may have given us wrong information
• you may have been slow to tell us about a change

You must tell us about any changes immediately and not rely on anyone else to do it for you. Even if you have told the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Jobcentre or your landlord about your change in circumstances, you must still tell us because we deal with Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction.