Housing benefit overpayment

Leahkc

For the last year and a half my partner had been on and off ssp due to multiple surgeries so in this time we have been receiving HB we recently set up a new claim after a 3 month break due to partner returning to work for a short period and signing off again for another surgery. However with this claim they have reviewed our whole past claim and now come to light that we owe £781 in overpayments I have contacted them asking how this has come to be as we send our payslips every month to make sure issues like this DO NOT happen however I got some excuse that as we are paid at the end of the month we are paid in advance and it's just ' how the benefits system work' is there any advice on how to deal with this as we have worked out that in this last year we have been given 2770 by them and they have asked for over 1300 back in over payments (we have already paid back over £500 in overpayments this last year!) How can they continously get it wrong each month if we give them accurate payslips every month. Not only this but they are now only paying 18£ a week less the 11.10£ overpayment recovery so we are now only receive £7.40 a week in housing benefit whilst my partner is on SSP and I am only working part time. We will be going to the housing office tomorrow and if no luck we will go to CAB but just hoping for some advice on here before we go.

Manh thanks!

sourcrates

Hi,

Have you made a formal complaint, or just a polite phone call ?

Because if its the latter, you should follow the correct complaints procedure outlined here :

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

Be persistent, dont take no for an answer, until they deal with it satisfactorily.