Benefit Fraud

The Government has estimated that Benefit Fraud costs the country approximately £80 per household. We are taking positive steps to:

• Make fraud harder to commit
• Detect and catch more fraudsters
• Encourage people to report those they suspect of committing fraud
• Tell people fraud is not acceptable.

Our overall aim is to promote benefit take up for those who are entitled, whilst minimising the amount of fraud and error that enters the system.

North Dorset District Council aims to protect public funds and to ensure that benefits are delivered to those people who have a true entitlement to them. Unfortunately, it is a fact that a minority of people do attempt to claim benefits fraudulently which they are not entitled to.

North Dorset District Council is part of the Dorset Anti Fraud Partnership, we also employ Revenues Enforcement Officers, whose duties include visiting Benefit Customers in accordance with the requirements of the Verification Framework, which was introduced by the authority in 1999.

Fraud can enter the system through:

• Claimants.
• Landlords.
• Organisations.

Or, from all three of the above.

In the first instance, the Revenues Enforcement Team will:

• Engage in fraud prevention by visiting customers
• Respond to Housing Benefits Matching Service interventions

The Dorset Anti-Fraud Partnership (DAFP) duties include:

• Investigation of potentially fraudulent claims and stopping or reducing payment in these cases.
• Taking the appropriate action against those who commit fraud, including financial penalties, sanctions and prosecutions.

Targets

The government sets targets for the levels of fraud and discrepancy that it would expect a Local Authority to identify. The Council also sets itself performance indicators, these measure performance on the number of sanctions imposed and the number of offences.

Verification of Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit Claims

Benefit Officers and Revenues Enforcement staff will verify the information on application forms for benefit. Verification will include home visits and will be done in accordance with the Government’s Verification Framework.

Care will be taken in verifying information. Whenever necessary, this will include contacting third parties under Section 109 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. As a result interviewing offenders who have breached the aforementioned act would take place under the guidance of section C & E of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and in line with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, Codes of Practice Evidence will be obtained in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

There is a requirement under section 19 of the Social Security Administration Fraud Act 1997 to establish the identity and national insurance number of a customer as a condition of receiving benefit.

The application form

The claimant is required to sign a declaration at the back of the application form making it clear that the information they have given is correct and complete, or action may be taken against them, including court action.

Fraud Hotline

The council operates a hotline to enable concerned members of the public to report those concerns in relation to benefit fraud. The hotline is private and confidential. All calls will be taken seriously and considered by the Fraud Case Management Officer. The hotline number is 01258 484191.  This line is open during office hours and there is an ansafone out of working hours.

Fraudulent actions by landlords

The council notifies all landlords of their duties under the Social Security Administration Fraud Act 1997 to report changes in their tenants’ circumstances. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in prosecution action being taken.

Data matching

The council obtains referrals from the Department for Work and Pensions Housing Benefit Matching Service and the Audit Commission’s National Fraud Initiative to identify potential fraud and irregularity in its benefit caseload. All referrals will be considered by the Fraud Case Management Officer.

Partnerships

The council works with the following organisations in its counter fraud activities. The obtaining and exchanging information will observe the rules of the Data Protection Act and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

• The Dorset Anti Fraud Partnership (DAFP)
• The Department for Work and Pensions
• HM Revenues and Customs
• The Jobcentre Plus
• The Police
• Other Councils
• National Anti-Fraud Network
• The Public
• Other Council Departments
• Housing Associations

Police and Criminal Evidence Act

The council will undertake all of its benefit investigations in accordance with the above act. All customers will be advised of their rights should they be subject to any investigation.

Intelligence

• The council meets regularly with its adjoining authorities to maintain a current knowledge of fraud issues.
• The council encourages its staff and the general public to provide information and will act upon this.

Training

The council provides training to its staff regarding awareness of benefit fraud.

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