Direct earnings attachments and housing benefits overpayments
Your local authority may use bailiffs or sheriff officers to recover these.
You may have to make repayments if:
- You did not report a change in circumstances
- You gave the council the wrong information
- They overpaid you by mistake
Contact your local authority to find out about your Housing Benefit payments.
DEAs and loans from the DWP Social Fund
These loans include:
- Winter fuel payments
- Cold weather payments
- Funeral payments
If you do not repay these as agreed, they can use a DEA.
To query overpayments, contact:
- The Social Fund Enquiry Line
- 0800 169 0140
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 6:30pm.
DEAs and full income tax arrears or tax credit overpayments
HMRC can take money directly from your wages if:
- You have arrears on income tax or other taxes
- You were paid too much in tax credits
HMRC may change payments to get money back if:
- You get benefits, and
- Had a tax credits overpayment
They might do this instead of issuing a DEA.
There are two ways HMRC recovers money owed from wages:
- Using a direct earnings attachment
- Changing your tax code
- This increases how much tax you pay each month
Call the HMRC tax credits helpline.
- Telephone: 0345 300 3900
- Textphone: 0345 300 3909
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
- Saturday, 8am to 4pm
- Sunday, 9am to 5pm