You can find more information about deductions and overpayments to your benefits.
A benefit award can be subject to a deduction to repay a benefit advance or a debt to the benefit agency or a third party.
If your benefit award is subject to a deduction and it has left you without enough money to live on, you can apply for a reduction or a pause of the deduction on the ground of financial hardship.
Speak to your local advice agency for help on benefit deductions.
If you have been overpaid Universal Credit or another benefit and the Department for Communities is seeking to recover the overpayment from you, you can apply for a Discretionary Waiver of all or part of the overpayment.
Generally, a Discretionary Waiver will only be given if recovery of the overpayment would be damaging to the health and/or welfare of you or your family or if it would cause you severe financial hardship.
Law Centre NI has also had success in securing Discretionary Waivers where overpayments are caused by the Department’s own error.
Contact Law Centre NI’s social security team on 028 9024 4401 for more information on this.
For more information on Discretionary Waivers and how to apply, visit:
