Housing benefit

Appeals

If you disagree with the decision you can:

• ask us to explain the decision

• ask us to change the decision

• appeal against the decision

Please view our further information on housing benefit appeals.

Overpayments

If you are paid too much benefit we will write to you. The letter we send you will tell you:

• the reason you were overpaid

• the period of the overpayment

• how much the overpayment is

• how we will recover the overpayment

Overpayments of housing benefit will either be recovered from your ongoing benefit entitlement or you will receive an overpayment invoice so you can pay the money back.

If the invoice remains unpaid after one calendar month, recovery action will start which could be in the form of either an attachment of benefit through the Department of Work and Pensions or from an attachment of earnings through your employer.

We also have the power to ask a debt collection agency to collect the money on our behalf. However, if the overpayment is as a result of an official error, it may be deemed not recoverable. Like all decisions made by us, you have the right to appeal against it.