Housing and council tax benefit overpayment
An overpayment is when you are paid benefit
which you are not entitled to. If you've been overpaid, we will
write to you to let you know the full details, like:
- what caused the overpayment
- the dates of the overpayment
- how much the overpayment is
- what to do if you disagree
There are several reasons why you may have
received an overpayment of benefit:
- You may have forgotten to let us know that your income
has increased, from something like working family tax credit,
wages, other benefits or pensions.
- Somebody may have moved into or out of your home. This
would mean that we will need to work out your claim again.
- If you have a non-dependant person living with you,
their income may have changed.
- If you have moved out of your home and not told
us.
- You may have a change in the type of benefit you
receive from the Benefit Agency, or an increase in the
benefit.
- You may have started work, or changed jobs.
- The Benefits Agency may have told us to cancel your
claim, or there may have been a delay in us receiving information
from them.
- If your claim is found to be fraudulent, we will
recover any benefit paid to you that you were not entitled to.
How is the overpayment
recovered?
- If you are still getting Housing Benefit, we may
reduce this each week by an agreed amount. If you feel that the
amount we are reducing your Housing Benefit by is causing you
hardship, you can write or telephone and ask us to lower it. Please
note, that we may ask for more details.
- If you don't get Housing Benefit any more, we will
invoice you. If you are not able to repay the amount in full, you
will need to contact our Benefits Section who may be able to
arrange for your to repay in instalments.
- Council tenants will have their overpayments recovered
along with their rent or from ongoing housing benefit
payments.
- If you are a private tenant, we invoice either you or
your landlord, depending on who the overpayment was paid to.
- Owner occupiers have their overpayments recovered
through their council tax.
How you can help with
overpayments
- If you get a letter about overpayments, please don't
ignore it. We will have to recover any overpayments.
- If you are starting work, don't forget to let us know
- if we know before you start work, there is less chance of an
overpayment.
Contact us
If you would like more information about
benefit overpayment, please contact Housing Benefit Overpayment
on:
Tel: 01695 585080
Email: housing.benefits@westlancsdc.gov.uk
Write to: Housing Benefit Overpayment, West Lancashire District
Council, 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk L39 2DF
Related information
> Benefits
calculator
> Pay a bill
online
>
Change in circumstances online form
>
Benefits and payments enquiry form