What is Benefit Fraud?
 
Benefit fraud is where people claim benefit payments that they know they are not entitled to.
Some claimants do this by making false statements when completing claim forms for benefit by providing incorrect details and/or omitting to give full details of their circumstances.
Others can fail in their responsibility to inform the Council of changes of circumstance in writing that could affect their benefit entitlement.
These are offences under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and later acts and amendments. Other legislation exists for other offences and the Council will consider the appropriate legislation in any actions taken.
Landlords and Managing Agents can commit offences if they fail to notify changes relating to a tenants occupation of the property or to their liability to pay rent, if they know that the change is one likely to affect benefit or be one, which could reasonably be expected to affect benefit entitlement.
Partners, family members and appointees of the claimant, employers, advisors and others can commit offences in relation to benefit claims and the Council will consider what is appropriate in any actions taken against them.
Common types of fraud
Living Together
Claimant claims benefit as a single person when in fact they are living with a partner. This includes same-sex partners.
Not giving details of all household income.
Wages, benefits, allowances, credits, pensions, maintenance, self-employment, other monies received, are all common examples.
Not providing details of all household capital
For instance; bank, building society and post office accounts; other investments, shares, premium bonds, cash and property ownership.
Not giving details of all people living at their property
This includes dependants, non-dependants, boarders, lodgers, and sub-tenants.
False or contrived tenancies
Claimants and/or landlords create tenancies solely to gain advantage of the benefit system.
Non-residency
Claimants make/continue claims from empty properties or landlords allow benefit to be continued to be paid at empty properties.
These are only some of the types of fraud committed by claimants, their partners and others.
Benefit cheats come from all walks of life. |