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Campaign gives tough warning
to benefit cheats
A new advertising campaign will warn benefit cheats that the government is determined to tackle fraud that costs taxpayers £2bn each year. It is drafting in an extra 500 frontline staff to support the crackdown, and they will have more powers to cross-check information.
Anti-Fraud Minister Malcolm Wicks said:
“My message to the fraudster is: we’re on to you and you won’t get away with it. Sooner or later you can expect a knock on the door from one of our investigators.
“Benefit fraud is a crime and we want to make it as socially unacceptable as drink-driving has become. Fraudsters steal from all of us - money which should be spent on hospitals and schools.”
He urged the public to support the campaign by reporting people who are committing fraud. The National Benefit Fraud Hotline number - 0800 854 440 - is open between 7am and 11pm seven days a week. Cheats can also be reported online.
The Government has already cut fraud and error in the main benefits by almost one quarter and more prosecutions than ever are being carried out. The Department for Work and Pensions has targets to reduce fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance by 33 per cent by March 2004 and by 50 per cent by March 2006. It also has a target to reduce fraud and error in Housing Benefit by 25 per cent by March 2006.
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