Tell the office dealing with your benefit straight away if:
you think you are being overpaid
your circumstances change
You may have to pay back the benefit if you have been overpaid.
There is a different process for tax credits overpayment.
You may be prosecuted for benefit fraud or have to pay a penalty if you do not tell benefit providers about overpayments.
If you have been overpaid Universal Credit
You can report an overpayment by signing into your Universal Credit account or calling the Universal Credit helpline:
Universal Credit helpline
Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
Textphone: 0800 328 1344
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 328 5644
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm
When the benefit office will contact you
You will get a letter to let you know that you have been overpaid.
If you think it is a mistake you can ask for mandatory reconsideration within one month of receiving the letter.
Housing Benefit paid directly to your landlord
Your landlord may be asked to repay the money if they are responsible for an overpayment. You may have to repay if it was your fault.