How will we recover the overpayment
Recovery from the Housing Benefit we pay out
If you are in receipt of Housing Benefit we will recover your overpayment directly from your payments. You should note the shortfall in your Housing Benefit payments is payable to your landlord by you, whilst the overpayment is being recovered. If payments are being made directly to your landlord you should notify them accordingly. If you do not make up the shortfall to your landlord you are at risk of getting into rent arrears and will risk losing your home. If the amount of the deduction causes you hardship you should contact us on 020 8359 2111
By sending you an invoice
If you are not in receipt of Housing Benefit we will invoice you for the full amount of your outstanding overpayment. This invoice is expected to be paid within one month. If you cannot pay the full amount within one month, you should telephone the overpayments team on 020 8359 2250 to arrange to repay the overpayment in a short series of instalments. Please see below for details of how to pay your overpayment.
Landlords
We will send you, the landlord, an invoice for the overpayment which is owed. This invoice is expected to be paid within one month. If you do not pay within a month, or fail to contact the overpayments team on 020 8359 2250 to arrange a repayment plan, we will deduct the amount owed from Housing Benefit paid to you for your other tenants. You must then, by law, treat the other tenants' Housing Benefit as being received in full.
Recovery from other benefits
If we have invoiced you, the claimant, for an overpayment, and you have not repaid the overpayment or contacted the overpayments team to arrange a repayment plan, we can recover the overpayment from other state benefits that you receive. We will do this by asking the Department of Work and Pensions to take weekly deductions from the benefit or allowance, ie Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance, that you are paid. The Department of Work and Pensions will write to you to advise you of the amount which will be deducted and the date the recovery will begin.
Housing Benefit overpayments and the courts
If you do not repay the money you owe within the specified time, or you do not keep to an instalment plan we have agreed with you, we may take you to court. If we do take you to court we can then:
- instruct the court to ask your employer to deduct the money you owe from your wages
- if you own your own home, we can ask the court to place a charging order on your property
- If we believe you have savings, we can ask the court to instruct your bank or building society to freeze your account(s) and request the amount owed to be paid in full
- as a last resort, we can request the court to make you bankrupt
Any court costs that occur will also be recovered.
For further information please see our leaflet on Housing Benefit overpayments and the courts 
(PDF 153 KB)
Housing Benefit overpayments and debt collection agencies
If you do not repay the money you owe within the specified time, or you do not keep to an instalment plan we have agreed with you, we may refer your overpayment onto a debt collection agency. Once we have referred your overpayment to the debt collection agency, you will no longer be able to make payment arrangements with us and will need to contact the agency directly. Any costs that occur will also be recovered.
How to pay your Housing Benefit overpayment
By post
Crossed cheques and postal orders made payable to London Borough of Barnet, can be sent to:
Benefits
London Borough of Barnet
PO Box 49085
London
N11 9AG
Please write your overpayment account reference, name and address on the reverse of the cheque or postal order. Do not send correspondence to this address. We do not accept post dated cheques. Sending cash by post is not recommended.
By BACS, telephone or internet banking
To use this facility please pass the following details onto your bankers:
Payee: London Borough of Barnet
Sort code: 08-90-78
Bank Account number: 61058334
Overpayment Account reference: See your overpayment invoice. (starts with a 5)
Automated telephone payments
A 24 hour automated payment line is available by dialing 0845 356 3456. You will need your overpayment invoice number and a debit or credit card* to hand when you call. Electron cards are not accepted by this service
Full details are explained by the automated service, but if you experience any difficulties please telephone 020 8359 2425 (during office hours)
Please note: from 1 April 2009 credit card payments incur a charge of 1.8%.
Online payments
You can pay your Housing Benefit overpayment online using a debit or credit card*. You will need to include your address and postcode to which your card is registered. Electron cards are not accepted by this service
Please note: from 1 April 2009 credit card payments incur a charge of 1.8%.
In person
You can pay your Housing Benefit overpayment in person at
Burnt Oak Library
Watling Avenue
Edgware
HA8 0UB
The opening hours are:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 9.00am - 4.30pm
Thurday: 9am - 8pm
See our Overpayments code of conduct
Email this pageLast modified by: Katherine Kan on 09/03/2009