Welcome To Wirral

If your personal circumstances do change, and you do not tell us straight away, we may pay you too much benefit.  This is called an overpayment.

Some changes you must tell us about are:

• change in income and/or savings.
• change of address.
• children who leave school/start working.
• adults moving in/out of your home.
• marriages, separations and divorce.

If you do not tell us about a change in your personal circumstances and we pay you too much housing and council tax benefit, we will ask you to pay us the money back.

Telling you about an overpayment

If you have been overpaid housing and council tax benefit we will write and tell you:

• there has been an overpayment of benefit.
• the reason for the overpayment.
• the amount of benefit overpaid.
• how we worked out the overpayment.

What happens if I have been overpaid benefit?

• we will look at why you were overpaid before we ask you to pay back the money.
• we will not ask you to repay the overpayment until you have a chance to ask for the decision to be looked at again if you disagree with it.

How can I pay the money back?

• if you are still getting housing benefit we can take an amount from your housing benefit to pay the money back.  We will write and tell you before we do this and tell you how much we are going to take.
• if you are experiencing financial hardship and want to repay the overpayment at a reduced amount please contact the recovery section on telephone number 0151 606 2002.
• if you are no longer getting housing benefit you will receive a bill for the amount you have been overpaid.  This will tell you how you can pay the money back
• if you are overpaid council tax benefit, we will give you a new council tax bill which will include the amount you were overpaid.

How can I stop this from happening?

• if you know a change is going to take place, tell us in writing before it happens or as soon as the change happens.

It is your responsibility to tell us about any change in your circumstances.

What if I don't agree with your decision?

You can ask for a decision to recover an overpayment to be looked at again.  You must ask us, in writing, within one calendar month of the date the overpayment letter was sent to you.  Please see Appeals Form in the related links section.  Your appeal can be sent or handed into any of the local one stop shops.  See Council Offices in the related links section.

What we will do if we get your appeal against the overpayment decision

• we will look at your overpayment decision again.
• we will deal with your appeal within four weeks.
• we will write to you to tell you what our decision is.

Where can I find out more about housing or council tax benefit appeals?

• you can get advice from your local one stop shops.  See Council Offices in the related links section.
• you can telephone us on 0151 606 2002.