Tax Credit Fraud

HC Deb 26 June 2003 vol 407 cc936-7W

Mr. Willetts

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suspected cases of working families tax credit fraud there were in the last year for which figures are available, broken down where possible into cases where there appears to be(a) understated income, (b) understated or undeclared capital, (c) undeclared subsidiary income, (d) an undeclared partner, (e) undeclared employment or self-employment, (f) overstated hours, (g) misrepresented child care, (h) fictitious children and partners and (i) fictitious employment. [121216]

Dawn Primarolo

The Inland Revenue undertake investigations into tax credit claims where there are grounds for believing that the claim may not be compliant. I refer the hon. Gentleman to my response of 14 April 2003,Official Report, column 536W, for details of the number of Working Families Tax Credit cases identified for investigation in 2002–03.

As non compliance may cover a range of circumstances and involve more than one reason for suspicion, a breakdown of the additional information requested is not available.