Overpayment of Housing and Council Tax Benefits
- What is an overpayment?
The amount of Housing / Council Tax Benefit you receive is based on the information you provide when you make your application for benefit.
If you or your landlord are paid an amount of Housing Benefit and you are paid an amount of Council Tax Benefit that you were not entitled to receive, this results in an Overpayment.
- Why do overpayments happen?
If you have a change of circumstances then your award of benefit may change. If you do not tell us of any change immediately then you may be awarded too much Housing/Council Tax Benefit. A few examples are:
- You have forgotten to tell us that your income has increased, for example you have had a pay rise, tax credit award changes;
- Somebody moves in or out of your home;
- You have moved out of your home and not told us;
- You have started work or changed jobs;
- Other adults who live with you have had a change in their circumstances.
- How will I know if I have an overpayment?
Housing Benefit:
- If you have been overpaid Housing Benefit, we will write to you advising of the reason, the amount, the period the overpayment covers and how it has been calculated. You will also be advised of how we intend to recover the overpayment.
- If you are still in receipt of Housing Benefit, we will reduce the amount of your benefit each week to recover the overpayment.
- If you are not getting Housing Benefit, we will send you an invoice and you should make arrangements to pay us.
- If you have moved out of the area, we can take money from any Housing Benefit paid to you by another council.
- We can ask the Department for Work and Pensions to take money out of your social security benefits to collect the overpayment.
Council Tax Benefit - called Excess Council Tax Benefit:
- If you have been overpaid Council Tax Benefit, we will write to you advising of the reason, the amount, the period the overpayment covers and how it has been calculated.
- The overpayment will be added back to your Council Tax Account and you will receive a replacement Council Tax Bill. Our Council Tax office will collect the overpayment by increasing your monthly payments.
- We will not recover overpayments we have paid you for Housing Benefit from your Council Tax or overpayments for Council Tax from your Housing Benefit.
If you do not agree with the decision to recover an overpayment, you can request that we look at the decision again. Please refer to our page entitled Appeals.
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Contact information
For further information about this page please contact:
Finance & Corporate Services, Benefits Team
Lime Tree House, Castle Street, Alloa, FK10 1EX
Tel: 01259 226239 / 450000
Email: benefits@clacks.gov.uk
Or use the on-line contact form
