Housing Benefit overpayments

Disagreeing with an overpayment

An overpayment occurs as a result of a Housing Benefit decision.

The notification letter advising you of the overpayment will show why you have been overpaid and advises you of your appeal rights. If you wish to appeal against the decision or ask for a revision of the decision, please complete our online appeal or revision form.  

You may be able to see a copy of your notification letter if you register for Benefits Connect self-service. 

Receiving an invoice without Benefits notification letter

If the invoice was received today, the notification letter should be with you in the next day or so. The Invoice and notification letter are not printed together so sometimes there is a delay in receiving one of them.

If you haven’t received a notification letter and more than 2 days have passed, please call the Benefits team on 0208 496 3000. 

You can see a copy of your notification letter if you register for Benefits Connect self-service.

Overpayment repayment options

We can consider a repayment arrangement.  

If you would like us to consider a repayment arrangement, please complete our online financial statement form.

Please note that if your proposal to repay the overpayment will exceed a period of 12 months evidence will be required to confirm your income and expenditure, if no evidence or insufficient evidence is supplied then we are unable to assess your financial circumstances.

Paying the overpayment in full or making a payment toward the overpayment

There are several ways in which you can repay the overpayment.

Please be aware that if you haven’t set up an arrangement to repay the overpayment in instalments then the overpayment invoice is expected to be paid in full.

Please note that we are only able to set Direct Debits on a monthly basis. If you wanted to make weekly payments, you can do this either by standing order or as a cash arrangement. 
Cash payments should be made a few days prior to the due date as it can take a few days to reach us. This will ensure payments reach us on time to avoid arrangements defaulting. 

Receiving demand letters during appeal process

If you have submitted an appeal or have requested a revision, we can consider putting a hold on the overpayment recovery. A hold will only be placed on an overpayment if it relates to the decision you are appealing against or requesting a revision of. 

If you would like us to look at putting a hold on the overpayment recovery please contact us

• email at revenue.Services@walthamforest.gov.uk
  please use 'Overpayments’ in the subject header of your email
• Or call 0208 496 3000

Missing arranged repayments

Please let us know by calling us on 0208 496 3000.

When an arrangement is broken the overpayment recovery cycle recommences which means demands to repay the overpayment will be sent to you. It is better to let us know if payments have been missed or will be missed so we can either reset an arrangement with you or discuss a new arrangement if you are struggling to keep up with the arrangement you have.   

Setting up direct debits to repay the overpayment

A direct debit can be set up where a repayment arrangement has been agreed.

Call us on 0208 496 3000 to set up the direct debit and if an arrangement hasn’t yet been agreed the officer will discuss a reasonable repayment plan with you. 

Please note that we are only able to set Direct Debits on a monthly basis. If you wanted to make weekly payments, you can do this either by standing order or as a cash arrangement. 
Cash payments should be made a few days prior to the due date as it can take a few days to reach us. This will ensure payments reach us on time to avoid arrangements defaulting. 

Receiving direct debit cancellation letters in error 

Call 0208 496 3000, to discuss resetting the direct debit arrangement

Difficulties with overpayment deductions 

If you are having financial difficulties you can propose a new repayment arrangement.

You can do this by completing our online financial statement form.   

Please note that if your proposal to repay the overpayment will exceed a period of 12 months evidence will be required to confirm your income and expenditure, if no evidence or insufficient evidence is supplied then we are unable to assess your financial circumstances.

I’m having deductions taken from my earnings to repay an overpayment, but the amount taken is too high / I want the direct earning deduction removed

We do not withdraw the earnings deductions once they are implemented but we could ask the employer to reduce the amount to be deducted. If you would like us to consider lowering the deductions please complete an online financial statement form

Please note that if your proposal to repay the overpayment will exceed a period of 12 months evidence will be required to confirm your income and expenditure, if no evidence or insufficient evidence is supplied then we are unable to assess your financial circumstances.

I am in receipt of Universal Credit; can deductions be made from that to repay my overpayment?

We will always seek repayment directly from you; however, we can request deductions from your Universal Credit award. The DWP will decide whether to make the deduction. Where deductions are not made you will have to make an arrangement with us to repay the overpayment.   

Where can I see the current balance on my overpayment?

You can check the status of your overpayment online by registering for Benefits Connect self-service.

Just one thing to note when using Benefits Connect, you will need to enter the financial year that the overpayment was created in order to see details of the overpayment, including the outstanding balance