Forty-five benefits cheats, who wrongly claimed a whopping £75,000 between them, were detected and had legal action taken against them by Reigate and Banstead Council’s benefit fraud team, during the last financial year.
Of the 45 cases, nine fraudsters were successfully prosecuted in court, all resulting in guilty verdicts; 21 received formal cautions and 15 were fined (known as administrative penalties).
The types of fraud included undeclared partners, undeclared work or pensions, fraudulent tenancies, undeclared savings and property.
The council’s benefit fraud investigators have even had to go as far afield as Chichester, to track down a fraudster who had moved away.
Investigation officers have a range of investigative tools at their disposal to help them to detect benefit fraud and track down fraudsters.
They also work closely with government agencies such as the Department for Work and Pensions.
Councillor Victor Broad, executive member for finance and assets, said: “The council’s benefit fraud team take positive action to prevent, detect and investigate benefit fraud in our community, to ensure people are not claiming taxpayers’ money that they are not entitled to, and benefit is only paid to people in genuine need.”
In all cases, the council took stringent steps to recover all of the fraudulent overpayment of benefit, as well as any costs or fines from the claimant.
Since April 2009, the benefit fraud team has successfully prosecuted a further two cases, given nine formal cautions and issued one fine.
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