Overpaid benefit refers to benefit that has been paid  to you and which you are not entitled.

If an overpayment occurs we have to establish why the overpayment occurred and whether it is recoverable.

An overpayment of Housing Benefit can be recovered by deductions being made from your ongoing benefit entitlement.  However if you are no longer receiving Housing Benefit you will be sent a Bill for the whole amount that you have been overpaid.

It is also possible for us to recover overpaid benefit from arrears of benefit due to you, or by deduction from some benefits that you may be receiving.

An overpayment of Council Tax Benefit will be added to your Council Tax account as an amount of Council Tax overpaid and you will be sent a new bill.

Housing Benefit overpayments cannot be recovered from Council Benefit entitlement, nor can Council Tax Benefit be recovered from Housing Benefit entitlement.