Benefits Overpayment - What should I do if I think that I have been overpaid?

If you think you are being paid more benefit than you are entitled to, you should tell the benefits office who pay your benefits and explain why you think the amount is wrong.

If you are not sure whether you are getting the right amount of benefit, get advice from a benefits adviser.

Don’t delay. The longer an incorrect award goes on, the bigger any total overpayment will be.

What will happen if I have been overpaid?

If the benefits office decides that your award of benefit is incorrect, they will:

• Work out how much benefit you should have been getting
• Work out how much you would need to pay back
• Decide whether you will have to pay back the overpayment
• Decide if they will apply a civil penalty
• Tell you what your new award is and what you need to pay back.

Who will contact me if I have been overpaid?

You might get one letter telling you about the overpayment or you might get separate letters about your new award and the overpayment.

Your usual benefit office/department will calculate what your correct benefit should be, how much you've been overpaid, whether you'll have to pay the money back and decide if you'll get a civil penalty (a fine). You have the right to appeal against one or all of these decisions if you think they may be wrong.