Housing Benefits Overpayments
If you have a change in your circumstances and you do not tell us straight away we may overpay your benefit.
We will send you an invoice telling you how much you owe, the period of the overpayment and the reason. You then have one month to contact us either to appeal against the decision or to make arrangements to pay.
We can recover this money from you either by reducing the level of benefit we pay you from your ongoing benefit, or you can make an arrangement to pay every week, or pay a lump sum.
If your housing benefit was paid to your landlord or Housing Association then we may contact them to make arrangements for the money to be repaid and they may contact you directly.
Pay by post or in person
You can pay either by sending in a cheque made out to the "London Borough of Hackney", addressed to: Housing Benefit Overpayments, Hackney Service Centre, 1 Hillman Street, London E8 1DY, or visiting our cashiers at 2 Hillman Street, London E8 1FB.
Pay by credit/debit card
If you wish to pay by credit/debit card you can contact our offices on telephone 0208 356 3883 or use our automated 24/7 telephone service on 0208 356 5050.
Pay by instalments
You may also pay by instalments and request a plastic card to make payments at the bank or post office. Please have your invoice number written at the back of the cheque if you send a cheque, or have the invoice number with you when paying over the phone or visiting the cashiers.
Appeals - What happens if I don't agree
Page updated: 24 Jun 2010
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