Mistakes and overpayments

Mistakes in Council Tax reduction or Housing Benefit

Always read your entitlement letters to check that the details the Council has used in calculating your Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction are correct.
If you notice a mistake in your claim or in the amount you are paid you should let us know within one calendar month from the date of notification.
If the mistake was not caused by you and you contacted us as soon as you noticed it, you may not have to repay the amount paid in mistake.
If you do not tell us about the mistake as soon as you notice it, you could be paid too much Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction. This is called an overpayment. You will need to pay back the amount you have been overpaid. If you leave things and do not tell us about the mistake for a few months the amount of money to be paid back could be a lot. So always tell us about a mistake as soon as you can.
If your Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction is overpaid because you gave incorrect information and did not take reasonable steps to correct your mistake you could be fined £50 (a civil penalty).
If you know you have been overpaid and do not let us know you may be committing benefit fraud and could face criminal prosecution in court.