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 (external link). 

You may be prosecuted for benefit fraud (external link) 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 in to your Universal Credit account (external link) or calling the Universal Credit helpline: 

Universal Credit helpline 

Telephone: 0800 328 5644 

Textphone: 0800 328 1344 

• NGT text relay (external link) (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 (external link) 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.