Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support

Overpayment

When we give you too much benefit, we call it an 'overpayment'. If we give you too much benefit, we will send you a letter.

The letter we send you will tell you:

  • why we gave you too much benefit
  • how much the overpayment is
  • if you have to pay back the amount
  • how you can appeal if you think this is wrong

Reducing your overpayment

If you have an overpayment, this may be reduced by a payment of 'Underlying Entitlement.'

If your overpayment is created because we did not know what your circumstances were, and you could later provide the true information for the period the overpayment covered and you were entitled to the benefit and support, we can reduce your overpayment with the money you would have been entitled to.  

In most cases we will send you a revised Council Tax bill, and you will usually have to pay more Council Tax.