Overpayments - council tax benefit

An overpayment of council tax or housing benefit is when more benefit has been paid than you were entitled to. This usually happens when your circumstances have changed and the housing benefit office was not aware.

Download Overpayments Policy 

When we find out we have overpaid your benefit we will write to you explaining what has happened and tell you how much the overpayment is for. You will be given the chance to ask for the decision to be looked at again.

It may be possible to reduce the overpayment by the amount of benefit you would have been entitled to had you applied in time. This is called Underlying Entitlement. Please contact us to request a form. 

You may also be entitled to new housing or council tax benefit.  

If you cannot afford to repay the overpayment in one lump sum you can contact the housing benefit overpayment section to discuss repayment by instalments.  

A council tax benefit overpayment will be added to your council tax account. You will be sent a new bill that includes the overpayment.