Housing and Council Tax Benefit overpayments

This page explains what happens if we have told you that you have been overpaid benefit.

If you have been paid too much benefit and you disagree with the amount you have been overpaid, you can ask for your claim to be looked at again.

You must do this within one month of being told by the Local Authority. You can appeal if you think the decision about your Housing or Council Tax Benefit is wrong. For further information see the How to Appeal page.

If you have to pay back an overpayment of benefit and you are still receiving Housing Benefit, your overpayment can be recovered by a set amount each week from your Housing Benefit to reduce any amount owing.

The weekly recovery amount is £10.20 from April 2011; however this amount goes up to £13.60 per week, if the overpayment of benefit was found to be as a result of fraud.

Wirral Council operates a Fair Debt Policy, see the Difficulties With Paying page for more information.