Overpayments
This page tells you what happens if you are overpaid Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.
What happens if I have been overpaid Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit?
We've drawn up a policy to deal with the administration and recovery of overpayments. You can find and download the Overpayment Policy, accompanying Guidance Notes and a blank Income, Expenditure and Capital Form below. Please click on the links to open or save the documents to your computer.
How will the overpayment be recovered?
There are various ways in which an overpayment can be recovered, all of which are covered in detail in section 5 of the policy document.
An overpayment of Housing Benefit is usually recovered in one of two ways:
- We'll accept full repayment of the overpaid Housing Benefit if offered.
- More commonly a deduction is taken from ongoing entitlement to benefit (also known as 'claw-back').
What are the claw-back rates for 2009/2010?
- The standard claw-back rate from 1st April 2009 is £9.75 per week (previously £9.15).
- If you are suffering from financial hardship the minimum claw-back rate can be set at £3.25 per week. To find out if you may qualify for this rate you will need to complete an Income, Expenditure and Capital form and return it to the Benefits Service.
- If the overpayment of Housing Benefit has occurred as a result of fraud, there is a higher claw-back rate from 1st April 2009 of £12.80 per week (previously £12.00).
An overpayment of Council Tax Benefit is termed an 'Excess Benefit'. It is recovered by adding the amount of Council Tax Benefit that has been overpaid onto the amount of Council Tax outstanding on your Council Tax bill for the relevant tax year.
You will receive an adjusted bill from Council Tax that reflects the amount that has been overpaid and will tell you the new instalments you need to pay.
If you have received an invoice for either an overpayment of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, we have a facility for you to make an online payment using a credit or a debit card.
Can I get some further information and/or advice?
Of course. To find out how to contact us or where to go to get further information and advice, go to Points of Contact for Benefit Help.
Download and Read the Overpayment Policy
The Overpayment Policy and related information can be downloaded and read by opening the documents below.
Downloads
Guidance notes to accompany the Sheffield City Council Housing and Council Tax Benefit Overpayments Policy. (195 KB)
For further information please refer to the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Overpayment Policy and accompanying Guidance Notes. (30.5 KB)
This document sets out Sheffield City Council's policy on the administration and recovery of Housing and Council Tax Benefit overpayments. The policy was updated in February 2009. The document should be read in conjunction with the guidance notes. (118 KB) (118 KB)