Benefit Fraud (Hansard, 22 July 2004)

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average weekly amount of(a) housing benefit fraud and (b) council tax benefit fraud was (i) in total and (ii) for each local authority, detected under the Security Against Fraud and Error scheme in 2002–03. [183167]

§ Mr. Pond
For local authorities, the Weekly Benefit Saving (WBS) scheme was replaced by the Security Against Fraud and Error (SAFE) scheme on 1 April 2002. Unlike WBS which recorded fraud only, the SAFE scheme records fraud and error.
The average weekly amount of housing benefit fraud and error detected under the SAFE scheme for 2002–03 was £52.52 and the average weekly amount of council tax benefit fraud and error detected under the SAFE scheme for 2002–03 was £11.97.
The available information about the average weekly amount of housing benefit and council tax benefit fraud and error for local authorities has been placed in the Library.

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many calls were received by the National Benefit Fraud Hotline in 2003–04; and how many(a) investigations, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions resulted. [184683]

§ Mr. Pond
The information is in the table.

National Benefit Fraud Hotline

April 2003 to March 2004 Total

Number of calls received 211,054

Investigations 44,127

Prosecutions 672

Convictions 619

Note:

Some convictions may relate to prosecutions from previous years.

Source:

National Benefit Fraud Hotline and Fraud Information by Sector system

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of benefit fraud were detected in 2003–04; and how many of these resulted in(a) prosecutions and (b) convictions. [184684]

§ Mr. Pond
The number of cases of benefit fraud detected is not available. The number of cases resulting in prosecution and cases resulting in conviction is in the table.

2003–04

DWP Local authorities

Prosecution 9,204 4,601

Convictions 9,091 3,747

Note:

Some convictions may nlate to prosecutions from previous years.

Sources:

1. DWP—Fraud Information by Sector and National Investigation Service.

2. Local authorities—loxal authority subsidy claim forms.

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the(a) operational and (b) advertising costs of the National Benefit Fraud Hotline in 2003–04. [184685]
427W

§ Mr. Pond
The operational cost of the National Benefit Fraud Hotline in 2003–04 was £1,038,505. The cost of advertising is not separately assessed.
Notes:
1. Since the Targeting Benefit Fraud advenising campaign started in 2003, the NBFH has been included in the campaign advertising and has not been the subject of its own advertising.
2. Operational costs include staffing and goods and service costs.
3. The operational costs of administering the NBFH include the costs of administering report-a-cheat-online. These costs cannot be separated.
Source:
National Benefit Fraud Hotline (NBFH)

§ Mr. Webb
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the recorded benefit fraud savings for(a) his Department and (b) local authorities were in 2003–04. [184686]

§ Mr. Pond
The available information is in the table.
For local authorities, the Weekly Benefit Savings (WBS) scheme was replaced by the Security against Fraud and Error (SAFE) scheme in April 2002, with some local authorities joining in April 2001. Like WBS, the SAFE scheme provides rewards for detected overpayments. However, it provides rewards for the detection of both fraud and claimant error overpayments and it is not possible to identify fraud overpayments separately.

Monetary Value Adjustments (MVA) by DWP in 2003–04

MVA(£)

2003–04 14,588,905

Notes:

1. MVA is the difference between the weakly amount of benefit, which would have been paid or would have continued to be paid and the benefit paid following the decision maker's decision on the information gathered. It includes both increases and decreases.

2. The figure includes Instrument of Payment (I0P) adjustments

3. The figure includes adjustments in addition to those attributable to fraud as it is not possible to separate them out.

Source:

Fraud Information by Sector and Genen,1 Matching Service.

National Benefit Fraud Hotline
April 2003 to March 2004	Total
Number of calls received	211,054
Investigations	44,127
Prosecutions	672
Convictions	619
Note:
Some convictions may relate to prosecutions from previous years.
Source:
National Benefit Fraud Hotline and Fraud Information by Sector system

2003–04
	DWP	Local authorities
Prosecution	9,204	4,601
Convictions	9,091	3,747
Note:
Some convictions may nlate to prosecutions from previous years.
Sources:
1. DWP—Fraud Information by Sector and National Investigation Service.
2. Local authorities—loxal authority subsidy claim forms.

Monetary Value Adjustments (MVA) by DWP in 2003–04
	MVA(£)
2003–04	14,588,905
Notes:
1. MVA is the difference between the weakly amount of benefit, which would have been paid or would have continued to be paid and the benefit paid following the decision maker's decision on the information gathered. It includes both increases and decreases.
2. The figure includes Instrument of Payment (I0P) adjustments
3. The figure includes adjustments in addition to those attributable to fraud as it is not possible to separate them out.
Source:
Fraud Information by Sector and Genen,1 Matching Service.