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Why overpayments happen

Overpayments usually happen when your Child Benefit payments haven't been adjusted to match your changed circumstances.

Examples of changes you need to report straight away include:

• if your child over the age of 16 leaves education or training that counts for Child Benefit
• if you leave the UK for more than eight weeks
• if your child leaves home

• Child Benefit - which changes you need to report

• Child Benefit if your child is in further education or training

How do you know if you've been overpaid?

The Child Benefit Office sends you a letter telling you that you've been overpaid and it shows:

• how much you've been overpaid
• why the overpayment happened
• whether you have to pay the money back
• what you can do if you want to know more about the decision or think it is wrong
• that you will get another letter telling you how you can pay the money back

If you think you've been overpaid, don't wait for the Child Benefit Office to contact you - get in touch straight away to explain the situation.

They will tell you if you're getting the right amount. You can contact the Child Benefit Office by calling the Child Benefit Helpline.

• Contact details for Child Benefit

If you know you've been overpaid but don't declare it

If you know you've been overpaid but don't do anything about it, you could be suspected of committing benefit fraud. It's the same if you deliberately fail to report a change in your personal circumstances.

If you're prosecuted for benefit fraud you could be fined or get a prison sentence, as well as having to repay the overpayment.

Do you have to pay the money back?

If you have a Child Benefit overpayment you may have to pay it back.

How you pay back overpayments

You usually have to pay the overpayment back in a lump sum.

The payslip that you get with the letter asking you to repay the money tells you about the various ways you can pay the money back.

If however you are still getting Child Benefit you can also:

• ask to have your Child Benefit payments withheld until you have paid all your overpayment back
• ask to have an amount deducted from your Child Benefit payments until the overpayment has been paid back

To talk to someone about paying back the money, call the telephone number shown on your letter.

If you want to appeal

You have the right to appeal against the Child Benefit Office's decision that you have been overpaid.

• Child Benefit - Appealing against a decision

Where to get help and advice

You can get further help with any questions on overpayments from the Child Benefit Office. You can do this:

• online - follow the link below
• by calling the Child Benefit Helpline
• by writing to the Child Benefit Office

• Send your Child Benefit query online Opens new window

• Contact details for Child Benefit

More useful links

• How changes can affect your Child Benefit payments

• What happens if you're suspected of benefit theft