Housing benefit overpayment because my maternity was backdated?

[MissM85]

I have had a letter stating we were over paid housing benefit because I was entitled to maternity allowance from July but they didn't get notified until November, the thing is, we didn't get notified until November either when it was backdated so we had a large payment one month of over £2000 (and totally understand that month we would not be entitled to housing benefit). That money was used to pay off debts which had built up since I hadn't been working and was gone within days (we also have 5 children who desperately needed clothes for Christmas as we had been struggling for months on my partner's self employed part time work), however I have now received this letter and don't think this seems right as I was unaware I was entitled to it and wasn't recieving any payments until November. Do I have a case to contest the bill do you think?

This is a difficult one to answer - I'd contact your local CAB to see if there is any chance of disputing it. If there was an "official error" you might be able to, but if it's just a case of administrative delays this doesn't count as official error, and you'd have to repay it.

Miss

But you had the money, why would you think you can have the money from both HB and your maternity allowance?

You’ve paid of your debts

So now you pay back the overpayment interest free and if you request you can pay in instalments at a low rate until your incomings increase