Benefit overpayments

An overpayment is where we have paid you (or your landlord) more benefit than you were entitled to.

If your circumstances change, the amount of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support you are entitled to may also change.

If the amount of benefit is lower than it was before, this may result in us paying you too much benefit, and if this happens, you will have to repay the overpayment to us. You can avoid an overpayment if you know a change is going to take place by telling us before it happens or as soon as the change happens. 

Overpayments usually happen because we are not aware you have had a change in your circumstances for example

• your income has increased
• you have moved to another home
• somebody has moved in or out of your home
• there has been a change to your other benefits
• you have been given, won or inherited money

If you have a Housing Benefit overpayment, we will write to you explaining

• the amount you need to pay back
• how you need to repay the overpayment
• your rights of appeal

If you are still entitled to Housing Benefit then we will recover the overpayment from your weekly benefit payments.

If you are no longer entitled to benefits, we will send you an invoice with payment instructions.

If you have received an invoice and would like to make a payment, you can repay online using a credit or debit card.

Make a benefit payment 

Direct Debit

This is the easiest and most cost-effective way of making payment. It will take the worry out of remembering to pay because the council collect the payments direct from your bank or building society account on the nearest working day to the 1st or 15th of each month. You will be given 10 days notice prior to the first deduction or if there is an amendment to the amount owed. To set up a Direct Debit please call 01932 838383 during normal office hours.

Using Banking Services

You can make payments by telephone or by online banking services offered by your bank or building society. Please ensure that you quote your invoice number as shown on your bill, along with our bank details:

Sort code: 30-80-12
Bank name: Lloyds Bank plc
Account name: Runnymede Borough Council
Account number: 11208060

At any Post Office or Pay Point outlet

You can take your invoice to any Post Office or shop offering the Pay Point facility.

Pay in instalments

If you cannot pay the full amount you should request to make a payment arrangement.

Request a payment arrangement

It can take up to 10 days to respond to your message.

Benefits calculator

Recent research shows that across the UK, up to £23 billion of benefits are going unclaimed, meaning potentially hundreds of people in Runnymede could be missing out. Have a look at our Benefits calculator

Recovery Options

If you have received an invoice and not paid we will consider recovering the overpayment by other means.

Attachment of (deduction from) earnings or benefits 

If you have not been able to pay your invoice within 1 month or made arrangements to pay, we may need to recover the amount from your earnings or benefits. We can: 

• ask your employer to deduct a regular amount from your wages towards your unpaid Housing Benefit Overpayment.
• ask the Department for Work and Pensions deducted money from your benefits, such as: 
  • Pension Credit (Guaranteed Credit) 
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)  
  • Universal Credit 

If this happens, the Department for Work and Pensions will let you know how much will be taken and when the deductions will begin.

Recovery from landlords

We may deduct the amount owed from Housing Benefit paid to a landlord for other tenants. A landlord must then, by law, treat the other tenants' Housing Benefit as received in full.

If the overpayment was due to fraud, we will ask the tenant to repay the debt. If the landlord was not involved in the fraud.

Debt collection agencies

We may refer your overpayment to a debt collection agency if you do not:

• repay the money you owe within the specified time
• keep to an instalment plan we have agreed with you

Once we have done this you won't be able to make payment arrangements with us and will need to contact the agency. The agency will also seek to recover any costs.

Courts

We may take you to court if you do not:

• repay the money you owe within the specified time
• keep to an instalment plan we have agreed with you

If we take you to court, we can:

• instruct the court to ask your employer to deduct the money you owe from your wages
• ask the court to place a charging order on your property if you own your own home
• ask the court to get your bank account frozen. If you have savings in a bank account, we can get the amount owed paid in full
• request the court to make you bankrupt, but only as a last resort

The court will also expect you to pay any court costs that occur.

Enquiries

If you want an explanation about how the overpayment occurred or disagree with the amount you are being asked to repay, please contact the Benefits Team on 01932 838383 or by email benefits@runnymede.gov.uk

Council Tax Support overpayments

If you get too much Council Tax Support, we will add the incorrect amount to your Council Tax account. You will then have to pay this back to us, along with the rest of your Council Tax bill.

If you are having problems paying the money back, see advice from the Revenues Team