Overpayments

An overpayment is where you have been paid more Housing Benefit than you are entitled to.

A change in your circumstances will have reduced the benefit that you are due from a date in the past. This could be for a number for reasons, for instance:

• a change in your income
• an increase in your capital
• a change in the size of your household
• a change of address

You may still be asked to repay an overpayment that was not your fault. The Council will hold you responsible for an overpayment if you could reasonably have been expected to know that you were being overpaid.

If you have been overpaid Housing Benefit you will be notified by the Benefits team in writing. 

Housing Benefit overpayments

For Housing Benefit overpayments you will have one calendar month from the date of notification to write to the Benefits team to query or appeal their decision. On the reverse of the notification letters there will be details of the appeal process. If you write in to appeal the Housing Benefit decision recovery of the overpayment will be suspended until the matter is resolved, this is not the same for Local Council Tax Support overpayments.

You can avoid an overpayment if you know a change is going to take place by telling us before it happens or as soon as the change happens.

How to Repay Housing Benefit overpayments

Deductions from your Housing Benefit

If you are still in receipt of Housing Benefit we will take deductions of from your award, leaving at least a minimum payment of 50p. 

You will be notified in writing of the deduction amount one calendar month prior to the deductions commencing. Deductions will continue until the overpayment is paid in full or there is a change to your claim or award.

If your Housing Benefit entitlement ends and there is still a balance outstanding you will be sent an invoice.

What happens if I no longer receive Housing Benefit?

If you are no longer in receipt of Housing Benefits you will be sent an invoice. If you are unable to pay this in full you will need to contact us immediately with your proposal for repayment.

Once an arrangement has been agreed and put in place it will be your responsibility to pay us. If your circumstances change and you are struggling to keep up to date with the arrangement please contact us and we will see if any adjustments can be made to the instalments.

Ways to pay

There are various different ways to pay back a Housing Benefit overpayment, to do so you will need the invoice number which begins with a '5'. If you do not know your invoice number or are unsure if it is the correct one, please call the Sundry Debtor team on 01799 510356 to confirm.

• By debit or credit card at the council offices.
• By debit or credit card over the phone - please call 01799 510510.
• By bank transfer - from your bank account to the Councils account
• By standing order - which you will need to set up with your bank directly

Pay online

Uttlesford District Council bank with Barclays, our details (for sending a Bank Transfer payment or setting up a Standing Order) are as follows:

Account: 30999520
Sort Code: 20-74-21
Reference: Will be the invoice number

What happens if I don't pay?

If you do not come to a payment arrangement with us, and the debt is outstanding, you will be issued with a final recovery notice warning of the other recovery methods the Council may employ to collect the debt. These include:

• Attachment to Earnings Order - we may write to your employer to request deductions be taken from your wages to clear this debt, you will be notified in writing if this option is taken.
• Deductions from Universal Credit, Job Seekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Income Support, State Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• Outside Agency - this may include other Local Authorities
• County Court Warrant of Execution - with a Warrant of Execution the Council can request the following actions:
  • The debt will be passed to the Court Enforcement Agent, which will incur further fees
  • Place a Charging Order on your home or property you own, which means that you will need to clear the debt before any re-mortgage can be applied or if the property is sold the debt will be paid from the proceeds
  • Start bankruptcy proceedings
  • Garnishee of bank account - apply to court to seize monies held in a bank account

You can also get in touch with us using alternative methods via our contact us page.