£60,000 recovered in fraudulent benefit claims

9:08am Friday 14th March 2008

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Benefit Investigators at Kennet District Council have uncovered more than £60,000 in overpaid housing and council tax benefit as a result of benefit fraud in the first 9 months of the financial year.

During this period the Councils Investigations Team has prosecuted 11 fraudulent benefits claimants in the Courts, handed out 7 administrative penalties against fraudsters in excess of £2000 and given 18 official cautions.

Investigations Officers are warning anyone committing benefit fraud that it is only a matter of time before they are caught.

Ian Brown Revenues and Benefit Manager for Kennet, said: "We are really pleased with our detection figures and aim to stamp out even more benefit fraud during the coming months.

"Whilst our detection rate has improved year on year this is not a sign that fraud is on the increase, rather that a combination of experience and information available to us through a number of sources has improved enabling us to identify these cases.

"On the one hand we are determined to pay the right benefits to those entitled but on the other we must take action against those who are abusing the system."

If you have information about someone collecting fraudulent benefit claims contact Kennet District Council on 01380-724911 or the National Fraud Hotline on 0800 - 854440.