We aim to maximise the take up of Housing and Council Tax benefits to those people who genuinely need and qualify for the benefit. We are here to help and guide claimants and encourage people to apply.
We also aim to detect fraudulent claims and protect public money from those who are intent on defrauding the benefit system.
Some examples of benefit fraud are:
failing to declare changes of circumstances e.g resident partner,
savings (capital) or
owning another property
If a claimant has knowingly misled the authority to obtain benefit then it will be cancelled back to the beginning of the incorrect claim (which could be over a long period of time).
an overpayment sum will be created of all benefits wrongly paid in respect of that claim. This overpayment must be repaid to the authority (reduced by any underlying entitlement).
The Council will either prosecute under the Theft Act or Social Security Act.
or Add a further 30% penalty onto the overpayment which already exists, sometimes a caution is issued.
The Benefits Team has a fraud hotline if anyone wants to report a suspected fraud. There is a voicemail service for when the office is unmanned.
