BENEFIT FRAUD IS THEFT

BENEFIT FRAUD IS A CRIME

Benefit fraudsters are stealing your money.  They are dishonest about their circumstances, either from the time they make a claim, or later on, by not telling the Council that things have changed.

Government figures estimate that benefit cheats cost the country over £2 billion per year – that's almost £80 taken from every single family.  Therefore, in line with the Government's National "Targeting Benefit Fraud" campaign, the Council prosecuted over 30 offenders during 2004/05 and a similar number during 2005/06. Alternative sanctions such as cautions and penalties have been given to numerous other offenders.  We also take steps to ensure that offenders pay back the money.

The Council's policy aims to ensure that benefit is paid correctly and fairly to our customers, but also to protect public funds by making it difficult for fraud to be committed.  The Verification Team undertakes hundreds of visits every year to customers' homes, to customers and give benefits advice where needed.

Our policy on fraud also makes sure that people who lie to obtain benefits WILL be prosecuted and this means that those who are found out will end up with a criminal record.  Only in certain and exceptional circumstances will other options be available, and in ALL cases the money will be recovered.

Many of the cases investigated were thanks to information supplied by local residents.

So if you have suspicions, please report them NOW

Further information on fraud is available using the links in the Related Links area above.