Slough Borough Council has recovered £2,492,616 of overpaid and fraudulently claimed housing benefits in the financial year of 2008/09.
The Slough benefits team, along with the investigation and overpayment unit, recovered the money from claimants and landlords who had received payments they were not entitled to.
Since it was formed 13 years ago, the Slough overpayments and investigations unit has increased its performance year-on-year. It received 725 referrals during 2008/09 for alleged benefit fraud, of which 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 & 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 by the team.
Scott Warner, investigation team leader, for Slough Borough Council, said: “We take a firm stance on benefit fraud and strive to catch offenders who steal from tax payer’s pockets.
“The unit is charged with a duty to seek out benefit criminals and take appropriate action, which includes recovery of any overpaid housing benefit.”
Commissioner for Slough opportunity and skills, Cllr Fiza Matloob, added: “We’re committed to making sure tax payer’s money is not being fraudulently taken by others.
“Well done to the investigations team for all their hard work and the recovery of such a large sum of money.”
Slough Borough Council
