Overpayments

What is an overpayment?

The amount of benefit you get to help pay your rent and council tax depends on what you tell us when you make your claim. If your circumstances change then your housing and council tax benefit may change too.  

If your personal circumstances do change, and you do not tell us straight away, we may pay you too much benefit. This is known as 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 Council Tax Benefit we will write to explain:

  • 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 had an opportunity 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 receiving 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 wish to repay the overpayment at a reduced amount please contact our Overpayment Officer.

  • 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 occurs or as soon as possible after the change happens.

It is your responsibility to tell us about any change in your circumstances. Please contact Customer Services as soon as a change in your circumstances occur.

If you wish to visit us in person our Customer Service Officers are available Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6pm at our Barrhead and Giffnock offices;

Benefits Section
Barrhead Council Offices
Finance Department
211 Main Street
Barrhead
G78 1YS

Benefits Section
Finance Department
Council Headquarters
Eastwood Park,
Rouken Glen Road
Giffnock
G46 6UG

Alternatively we can be contacted via telephone on: 0141 577 3001.