Slough reports on benefit fraud recovery

Slough Borough Council reports it has recovered £2,492,616 of overpaid and fraudulently claimed housing benefits in the financial year of 2008/09.

They received 725 referrals during 2008/09 for alleged benefit fraud, and 406 investigations took place.

Over the year 2008/09:

• 31 housing and council tax benefit claimants were given a formal caution as a result of offences identified. Formal cautions are similar to a police caution and are recorded by the Department for Work and Pensions on a national database.
  
  
• 18 people were given administrative penalties as an alternative to prosecution. "This type of penalty is a fixed sum of 30 percent of the amount of benefit which has been overpaid to the claimant."
  
  
• 21 benefit cheats were successfully prosecuted in criminal court.

As we've said before, the administrative penalty is financially tougher than the vast majority of court penalties.

People convicted in court of benefit fraud who don't go to prison should have to do unpaid work.

Benefit thieves should also have to repay twice what they've stolen, and should not be eligible for any further benefits – including tax credits - until they have. A confiscation order should be automatic and immediate.

If you don't punish people who are convicted of an easy crime, the offence will continue to look attractive.