This information is for people getting Universal Credit or Housing Benefit.
Overpayment means you got a benefit when you weren’t supposed to. It can happen with Universal Credit or Housing Benefit.
You might get overpaid because of a mistake you made. This might be considered fraud.
The agencies giving the benefit may also make a mistake and overpay you. You are expected to keep track of your benefits and tell the agency if you know you were overpaid.
For example, overpayment can happen if:
- you gave incorrect information about your income or savings
- your situation changed and you did not tell the relevant agencies
- the agency made a mistake with your payment
You may not have to pay back an overpayment in some circumstances. You usually have to pay back Universal Credit, even if the overpayment was not your fault.
Our advisers can help you figure out if you were overpaid or need to pay back money.