Guidance

Housing Benefit debt recoveries: background information and methodology note

Background information on Housing Benefit debt recoveries data.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 9 September 2015
• Last updated: 3 September 2025
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  1. 3 September 2025

     Published a revised version of the background information note. The latest release of the Housing Benefit debt recoveries data has been published today (Wednesday, 3 September 2025).

  2. 7 September 2022

     The separate 'background information and methodology' and 'methodology and definitions' documents have been combined and updated in this new single document. The latest release of the Housing Benefit debt recoveries data has been published today (Wednesday, 7 September 2022).

  3. 8 March 2017

     Published a revised version of the background information note, new version is dated March 2017.

  4. 9 September 2015

     First published.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Housing Benefit debt recoveries: background information and methodology note

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Details

The Housing Benefit debt recoveries statistics show the amount of Housing Benefit that is overpaid to claimants, the overpayments recovered and amounts written off.

This background note includes information on how the Housing Benefit debt recoveries statistics are collected and published.