§ Steve WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the weekly multiplier is that is used to estimate the average amount of housing and council tax benefit fraud run-on in cases where a fraudulent claim has been detected. [183161]
145W
§ Mr. PondFor 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, where a 32 week multiplier was used when calculating savings from anti fraud activity, no such multiplier is used for SAFE.
Under SAFE, local authorities earn a fixed monetary reward based on the amount of reduction in benefit for each overpayment which they detect that is a result of fraud or claimant error. In addition, local authorities are partly compensated for the costs incurred in bringing forward sanctions and prosecutions.
§ Steve WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his written answer of 17 May 2004,Official Report, column 731W, on benefit fraud, what the average (a) weekly incorrect benefit reward and (b) security against fraud and error subsidy was as a proportion of expenditure. [183261]
§ Mr. PondLocal authorities earn Weekly Incorrect Benefit (WIB) rewards for overpayments they recover which have arisen as a result of fraud and claimant error. The average total WIB reward across all local authorities as a proportion of expenditure was 0.2 per
Number Outcome Value 1 Officer prosecuted and sentenced to a 12 month conditional discharge and £75 costs. The officer continues in post pending a decision about his employment status £979 2 Officer prosecuted for offences committed in 2000 and sentenced to 11 months imprisonment. £38,938 3 Officer prosecuted and sentenced to two months imprisonment. The officer was initially suspended on full pay, which changed to suspension without pay from the date formal charges were made. They have since been dismissed. £4,180 plus an additional potential overpayment of £2,013 4 Officer prosecuted and sentenced to an 18 month Community Rehabilitation Order and ordered to pay £1,510, the amount to be repaid in full by 18 December 2004. The officer was initially suspended from duty and subsequently resigned. £410 5 Officer found guilty of benefit fraud and will be sentenced on 16 July 2004. The officer was suspended from duty and subsequently dismissed. £1,327 plus an additional potential overpayment of £2,600 6 Officer sentenced to a 200 hour community service order and has been dismissed £3,112 7 Officer prosecuted and fined £120 costs and ordered to pay £628. The overpayment has been repaid in full £2,599 8 Officer Dismissed £5,280 9 Officer Dismissed. Prosecution pending. £660 10 Officer Dismissed — In addition to the cases listed in the table four officers resigned prior to a penalty being imposed.
Details of staff suspensions are not routinely captured. Where appropriate, staff are suspended from duty pending the outcome of any action.