An overpayment of Housing Benefit occurs when we have paid you or your landlord more Housing Benefit than you are entitled to. If you have been overpaid, we will usually ask you to pay the money back.
We will send you a decision notice informing you of:
- the reason for the overpayment
- the period that the overpayment covers
- the amount of the overpayment
- whether or not the overpayment is recoverable
- how recovery of the overpayment will be sought.
If we were making payments to your landlord when the overpayment occurred we will write to them also.
If you disagree with the overpayment decision you can ask us for a further explanation or you can submit a reconsideration or an appeal.
How the overpayment will be recovered
- If you continue to receive Housing Benefit, we may take deductions from your ongoing entitlement.
- If you receive benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions we may take deductions from this benefit.
- We may send you an invoice for payment.
- In certain circumstances we may send your landlord an invoice for payment.
- You can also make an arrangement with us to repay the amount in instalments.
Request a repayment plan
If you would like to arrange an instalment plan, please complete the Housing benefit overpayments form.
Provide income and expenditure
If you have been asked to complete an income and expenditure form, please complete Housing benefits overpayments form. This is the same form that you use for a repayment plan request.
Please note: to complete this form you will need to provide information about:
- your income such as your earnings and
- any benefits that you receive.
You will also need to provide details of your outgoings such as:
- household bills and
- living expenses.
If you cannot afford to repay the overpayment or you wish to discuss it further please call us on 01753 475111 or email overpayments@slough.gov.uk.