This guide does not apply to overpayments of Universal Credit, New Style Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). If you have been overpaid any of these benefits, please use our guide on Overpayments under the Universal Credit system. An...
If you think you are being overpaid or your award of benefit is incorrect, you should notify the office paying the benefit in question of any error as soon as possible. If you are unsure whether the amount you receive is correct, seek advice from a benefits adviser. Don’t del...
If you are aged 16+ and are caring at least 35 hours a week for a person who is ill or has disabilities, you may qualify for Carer’s Allowance and/or Universal Credit. There are certain other conditions you must fulfil, such as not being in full-time work or education, so you...
A Severe Disability Premium is an extra amount that is included in some means-tested benefits to help with the cost of disability. People who are entitled to a Severe Disability Premium cannot claim Universal Credit and can still make new claims for the benefits Universal Cre...
New State Pension is money paid to people who reach state pension age on or after 6 April 2016. If you reached state pension age before 6 April 2016, you may be entitled to the Basic State Pension. You can check the date that you reach state pension age on the government webs...
When you first claim Universal Credit, you have to wait five weeks for your first payment. While you are waiting for your first payment, you can ask for an Advance. An Advance is an interest-free loan which you pay back over 12 months. You can ask for an Advance using your on...
If you do not agree that you have been overpaid you can ask for this to be looked at again and appeal against the decision. See our Challenging Decisions information. The decision letter about the overpayment should include a breakdown of: How much you were overpaid each week...
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have the power to impose a fixed rate civil penalty on some claimants who have been overpaid a social security benefit. The civil penalty is £50. It will be added to the total amount of the overpayment and will be recovered by the sa...
When you have been overpaid benefits, the repayments can be taken from you by: Making deductions from your benefit payments Taking it out of benefits that are owed to you, such as arrears Taking amounts directly out of your wages Getting a court order for debt recovery. I...
You will always have to repay overpayments under the Universal Credit system. It does not matter what caused the overpayment. You can still argue that there never was an overpayment. Peter’s employer made a mistake when reporting his income and because of this Peter was paid ...