Help. Huge Housing benefit overpayment

romy22

I'm claiming housing benefit and council tax benefit ad I dont think I've told them that I'm getting child maintenance. I've been recieving it for a year and 3months. I've been on a benefits calculator on internet and i think ive been overpaid approx £1400. I'm really panicking and I dont know what to do. I've not done this intentionally but its gona look like i have. What shall i do?

Oldernotwiser

Tell them, very, very quickly.

jobbingmusician

I would say (to them) that someone has shown you the calculator, you've done your sums and it looks to you as if your current benefits haven't been taking your child maintenance into account. Tell them that you are keen to sort this out, but obviously if you have been overpaid £1400 you can't afford to repay it all at once, and ask what they would suggest.

Also visit the CAB, and ask them what the situation is. I don't suppose for a moment that they will take any action against you if you walk into an office and say that you think a mistake has been made - you are obviously then not trying to defraud them! The CAB should be able to tell you what the maximum repayment the DWP will be able to take off your benefits per week to repay the sum owed.

itsalldrivingmemad

I wouldn't worry too much - tell them that you have made a mitake and you should be ok.

The forst £15 weekly is disregarded at the moment but I beleive there is a rule coming into effect soon ( maybe oct)that disregards all maintenance payments no matter how much you get.

Any over payment they will take out of your coming months HB payments.

romy22

Thank you. Ive just been on goverment website and from the 27th october child maintenance payments wont affect housing & council tax benefit. So at least I wont have any money taken off me from then (except for the overpayment from last year)