Overpayments
If you have been paid more Housing Benefits than you were entitled to, we will ask you to pay this back.
If you have received an invoice for overpaid Housing Benefit, you can make full payment by either selecting the Pay for it option below or by calling the 24-hour payment line on 020 8708 4708 and selecting option 7. You will need to include the full invoice reference number starting with the number 5.
If you are unable to pay the invoice in full, please contact the Overpayment team on 020 8708 4518, to discuss the possibility of paying by instalments. Depending on your instalment offer, you may be asked to complete an on-line financial assessment form and supply evidence to support this.
An overpayment can be recovered from the person who claimed benefit, or the person who received the payment. This maybe you, your landlord or someone else who received the benefit on your behalf.
If you have been overpaid Housing Benefits, we will write to you and tell you. The letter will provide the reason for the overpayment, the period you have been overpaid for and the amount you have been overpaid.
Should you disagree with our decision, you must ask us to review the decision within one month.
Appeal a decision about your benefit
If you are still receiving Housing Benefit from Redbridge, we will make deductions from the amount we pay you or your landlord until the overpayment is fully paid back.
If you are no longer receiving Housing Benefit from Redbridge we will send you an invoice.
Please do not ignore any invoice or reminders for payments, as this could lead to further action being taken against you.
Recovery action could be in several ways:
- if you are a Landlord, by recovering from on-going Housing Benefit entitlement of any other tenant you may have
- by taking from any credit you may have in your Redbridge account
- by making deductions from benefits you receive from the Department for Work & Pensions such as Universal Credit
- by have deductions of up to 20% taken direct from your earnings under a Direct Earnings Attachment
- by registering the debt in the County Court as an order of award, which will result in additional costs and can be enforced by:
- a Warrant of Execution, to allow Court Bailiffs to seize and sell your possessions
- an Attachment of Earnings Order
- third Party Debt Order
- bankruptcy.
Housing Benefit overpayments can occur if personal and/or financial circumstances in your household change.
It is important you tell us straight away of any changes to prevent overpayments.
Report a change of circumstances
For further information and to make payment, you can contact the Benefit Overpayment Team quoting your full invoice number;
Telephone number : 020 8708 4518
Email: housing.benefits@redbridge.gov.uk
or write to us:
Housing Benefit Overpayment Team
London Borough of Redbridge
Lynton House
255-259 High Road
Ilford, Essex, IG1 1NN
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