If you are still in receipt of housing benefit, we can make deductions from your ongoing housing benefit entitlement. We will notify you of the amount that we will be recovering. If we are paying your landlord direct, you will need to ensure that you ‘top up’ any shortfall in your rent.

If you are no longer in receipt of housing benefit, you will be sent an invoice. Upon receipt of the invoice you need to contact the

Benefit Recovery Section - 01502 523517 or 523518

to pay the debt in full or make an arrangement to repay the debt by instalments.

You must quote the invoice number whenever you call.

Payments can be made by:

· Debit / Credit card, by calling 01502 523517 or 523518 (please note that there is a charge if you pay by credit card)
· Cheque – Please send cheque payments to:

Waveney District Council
Revenues and Benefits Service
P O Box 97
Lowestoft
NR32 1HD

Please write your invoice number on the back of the cheque.

Standing order to:

• Bank name: HSBC
• Sort Code: 40 – 30 – 28
• Account Number: 11451626
• Account Name: Waveney District Council
• Invoice Number: Please ensure you quote your invoice number

Attachment of Benefit. This means that deductions will be made from the benefits that you receive from the DWP and it will be used to reduce your housing benefit overpayment.

If a payment arrangement cannot be agreed or you do not keep up a payment arrangement we have the option to apply for an “order” to be made against you by the County Court. The following methods of recovery are then possible:

Warrant of execution - this gives court bailiffs the authority to take goods from your home or business. Bailiffs will try to either

• collect the money that we are owed, or
• take goods to sell at auction

Attachment of earnings - an order is sent to your employer that tells them to take an amount from your earnings each payday and send it to a collection office. The money is then sent to us.

Third party debt order - formally know as a Garnishee Order. This order is usually made to stop you taking money out of your bank/building society account (the money that we are owed is then paid to us from your account).

Charging Order - this order prevents you from selling your assets, such as property, investments or land, without paying what you owe us.

Bankruptcy - if your overpayment amounts to more than £750 we can also apply to make you bankrupt.