The Council has a duty to
administer a benefits service to those within its area who qualify;
they also have a responsibility to ensure that payments are made
only to those actually entitled to receive them.
Mid Suffolk Benefit investigation service will investigate
claims that they suspect to be fraudulent.
In the reporting year 2010/11 they investigated 179 cases,
and discovered £152,544.50 in overpaid benefit, 34 offenders
were sanctioned or prosecuted, and a further 9 offenders are
awaiting prosecution.
The penalties for benefit fraud can be severe and include fines and
imprisonment; any overpaid benefit will need to be repaid.
Recent cases
December 2011
A Stowmarket woman pleaded guilty to 3 charges of dishonestly
obtaining over £25,000 in state benefits at Ipswich Crown Court.
Susan Baker of Poplar Hill, Stowmarket, was receiving full Housing
Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Income support as a lone
parent.
In a lengthy investigation led by Mid Suffolk District Council
fraud staff, Susan Baker was found to have a partner living with
her from November 2007 and went on to marry the man in a ceremony
at Gretna Green in September 2008. Susan Baker failed to tell the
Council or the Job Centre that her circumstances had changed and
continued to receive nearly £300 a week in benefits until June 2009
while her partner worked full-time as a window-fitter.
Susan Baker received a 10 week custodial sentence suspended for
12 months and was ordered to carry out 140 hours unpaid work. She
was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £2,400, she will also
have to repay the overpaid benefits.
September 2011
A 41 year old woman was sentenced in Magistrates Court
for failing to declare capital from the sale of a former property
which she had jointly owned. She had failed to declare the
ownership of the property, and then failed to declare substantial
capital when the property was sold. She was ordered to repay the
overpayment and court costs, and recieved a one year conditional
discharge.
A 41 year old man, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in Magistrates
Court for failing to declare earnings whilst claiming JSA/HB/CTB.
He was ordered to repay the overpayment of almost £8000 and court
costs. He was ordered to undertake 80 hours unpaid work.
A 45 year old woman was sentenced in Magistrates Court for making a
false claim to benefit by providing a false tenancy agreement and
false bank statements. She also failed to declare a partner in the
household on her claim to Job Seekers Allowance. She was ordered to
repay the overpayment and was ordered to repay the court costs. She
received a 6 months supervision order and was ordered to undertake
150 hours unpaid work.
August 2011
A 45 year old man was found guilty in Magistrates Court of two
charges of dishonesty. Although he had initially declared his
wife's earnings, he failed to declare that her earnings had
substantially increased, and he continued to cash his Housing
Benefit cheques. He was ordered to repay the overpayment, and pay
court costs of £1464.00; he also received a two year conditional
discharge.
June 2011
A 45 year old woman was sentenced in Crown
Court for failing to declare a common household with her husband.
She had claimed as a lone parent whilst her husband had been living
and working abroad, but the investigation revealed that they
maintained a joint bank account and he paid all the household
bills.
She was ordered to repay the overpayment and court costs, and
received a 2 year conditional discharge.
March 2011
A 32 year old woman and a 31 year old woman both appeared
in court and were prosecuted for failing to declare work. The women
were friends and both were undertaking work on a self-employed
basis for the same company, they both received conditional
discharges, and were ordered to pay legal costs, they also have to
pay back the overpaid benefit.
August 2010
A 43 year old man and his 45 year old wife from
Stowmarket were prosecuted after he failed to declare work that his
wife had done.
They were taken to court and he was prosecuted for failing to
declare earnings, and his wife charged with causing or
allowing her husband to claim when she knew the entitlement was
inaccurate.
As they had colluded to defraud the benefit system, the court
handed him a 1 year community order for 200 hours of unpaid
work, and his wife was fined.
He was overpaid benefit of £5143.31 which he must repay.
May 2010
A 45 year old man from Stowupland was convicted in court of
making false statements in order to gain benefits.
He was given a fine by the court and ordered to repay the overpaid
benefit of £1953.04
A 43 year old man from Stowmarket made a false statement and
failed to declare work done by his partner.
He was taken to court where he received a 1 year community order
for 200 hours of unpaid work.
He was overpaid benefit of £5892.07 which he must repay.
Past cases
A 44 year old woman failed to declare she was living with her
husband for the period October 2001 to January 2007.
She was taken to court where she was handed an 18 month prison
sentence, and ordered to repay overpaid benefit of £60755.69.
Tough sanctions for benefit fraud.
From 01/04/10 there are changes to the way people
caught committing Benefit fraud are dealt with.
If you commit a first offence and you receive a conviction,
administrative penalty or caution, you will be subject to a ‘One
Strike’ sanction.
This means that you may lose your right to continue receiving
all or part of your benefits for a four-week period.
You will be notified if the ‘One Strike’ sanction is applied to
your benefits.
If you commit a second or subsequent benefit fraud offence
within five years and receive a conviction, administrative penalty
or caution, you will be subject to a ‘Two Strike Sanction’
This means that you may lose your right to continue receiving
all or part of your benefits for an even longer period. You will be
notified if the ‘Two Strike’ Sanction is applied to your
benefits
What is benefit fraud?
When people knowingly withhold information, give false information
or deliberately fail to report a change in their circumstances they
are committing benefit fraud.
Benefit fraud is theft, and people who commit benefit fraud are
breaking the law.
Types of fraud
Examples of fraud include
- Not telling us about work you are doing
- Not telling us about changes in your savings
- Not telling us when your partner moves in
- Not telling us about other changes in your income or
household
- Landlord fraud, if a landlord fails to tell us their tenant has
moved out
Report a fraud
If you think you know someone committing benefit fraud please
report it, as the money they are taking could be used to help
someone in need.
You can report a suspected fraud by;
Calling our free 24 hour Confidential hotline: 01473
433999
You do not have to give us your name if you wish to remain
anonymous.
Going on-line to complete an online report (External
Site)
If you prefer you can print off this form and send it in the
post, or you can write to
The Benefit Fraud department,
Mid Suffolk District Council
Council offices
131 high street
Needham market
IP6 8DL
The following information is helpful when reporting a suspected
fraud, but if you do not know all the information please tell us
what you do know as all information can help.
- Name, address and a description of the person you are
reporting.
- What you think they are doing wrong e.g. not declaring work or
income, undeclared partner or lodger, hiding
savings/investments.
If they are working it helps if you can provide details of their
job,
- Who they work for,
- When they leave for work and get home
- How do they get to work?
- Do they wear a uniform?
- The vehicle they use
If they have a partner can you tell us their name, when they
moved in, what they do for a living, what they look like, can you
provide a description of their partner or their partners vehicle
(make, colour, registration)?
If you suspect someone of having undeclared income or savings do
you know where the money comes from e.g. pension payments,
inheritance? If the money is paid into an account do you know where
the account is held e.g. Name of bank or building society? Do you
know the branch details?
If you are not sure if a fraud is being committed, please call
and speak to one of our officers.
When you report a fraud, it is helpful to us if you wish to leave a
name and contact number but this is not essential.
What happens to your report.
When we receive a fraud report, we will first check to see if
the person in question is in receipt of benefits.
We then decide if there is enough information to start an
investigation.
Sometimes we will work with the Department for Work and Pensions,
and conduct a joint investigation.
We gather additional information about the suspect from a wide
range of sources, including Her Majesties Revenue and Customs,
utility companies, banks and building societies.
The Benefit Fraud Investigation Team investigates and establishes
the true facts, based on the allegation.
This can sometimes take many months.
If the investigators believe that the person has committed an
offence they will call that person to the office to attend a formal
interview under caution.
Following a successful investigation an overpayment will be
calculated and the offender will be asked to repay this money,
there may also be other action taken such as prosecution, or an
administrative penalty.
Unfortunately we cannot comment on cases under investigation. So
if you report someone we will not be able to update you on how the
investigation is proceeding
What if my situation changes?
Remember, if you are receiving benefit yourself it is your
responsibility to notify the local authority immediately of any
change in your circumstances that may affect your entitlement to
benefit.-
To report any changes in your circumstances please call 0845 606
6080
You cannot assume that other organisations, like the Department
for Work and Pensions, will notify us on your behalf.
What does a fraud officer do?
A Benefit fraud Investigator will
- reactively respond to referrals from the public, benefits
section and other sources
- actively target ‘at risk’ areas to try to prevent fraud
- Work with other agencies such as the Department of Work and
Pensions, and Her Majesties Revenue and Customs.
- Complete data matching scans.
Sanction policy
Sanctions Policy (PDF, 45Kb)
Code of conduct (PDF, 34Kb) for benefit fraud and visiting
officers
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