Overpayments of housing benefit
When an overpayment of benefit occurs we will tell you:
- How the overpayment is calculated
- The reason for the overpayment
- The amount of the overpayment
- The period the overpayment covers
- The method of recovery.
We will decide whether to recover the overpayment from you or your tenant if there is no longer any entitlement or the tenant has vacated the property. The council can recover overpayments in respect of one tenant by making deductions from housing benefit payments of other tenants you may have. Where this occurs, any payment deducted must still count as rent paid by your tenant.
You can help us to avoid overpayments by telling us of any known changes that might affect the benefit paid to your tenant.