Overpayments

Direct Earnings Attachment (DEA)

If no arrangement is made to repay an overpayment of Housing Benefit after an invoice and final notice has been sent to you, this method of repayment is then considered.  Employers are contacted by Fareham Borough Council and the employer is then required to make deductions from the salary of their employees and the amounts deducted are then paid over to us to reduce or clear the debt.

This employers guide  (371 KB) provides advice on what an employer needs to do if they are asked to implement a Direct Earnings Attachment. It explains:

• How to operate a Direct Earnings Attachment
• How to work out how much should be deducted from the employees earnings
• How and when to make payments to us of the amount deducted
• What happens if a deduction cannot be made due to certain restrictions/exemptions
• The employer's responsibilities under the law

A payment schedule  (155 KB) must be completed by the employer each time a deduction is made and sent to us to give details of the amounts deducted from the employee's wages.

The guide is intended to help an employer understand the main points about Direct Earnings Attachments but it is not intended to be a full description or statement of the law.

If you have been advised that the Council intends to recover your debt by a DEA or you are an employer and have any questions not answered by the guide, please contact the Overpayment Recovery Team on 01329 824408.