Select Committee on Social Security Minutes of Evidence

ANNEX 2

SPOTLIGHT ON BENEFIT CHEATS PHASE THREE

  Phase three was CBC's second involvement with the Spotlight campaigns and a more comprehensive breakdown by case type was compiled. The following risks were identified:

—  Mail returned undelivered by the Royal Mail.

—  Claimant states the child is over 16 and is still in full time education (FTE) although FTE may have ceased.

—  Foreign students receiving CHB but had returned home.

—  OPB in payment when Income Support, Family Credit, or Retirement Pension also shows a partner is present.

—  Claimant fails to provide evidence of a child's date of birth when submitting a claim, possibility of claims for fictitious children.

Area	Returned undelivered mail exercise Files referred	17 to 19 year-olds files referred	Foreign Students	One Parent Benefit	Failure to provide evidence	Over- payments	Total referrals issued	Total savings
Nottingham	30	—	18	—	—	5,901.60	48	3,945.60
Wolverhampton	30	—	14	—	—	—	44	—
Newcastle	30	—	23	—	—	2,642.00	53	12,480.00
West Kent	31	—	—	17	—	—	48	—
Peterborough	30	67	—	—	—	783.80	97	1,865.60
Kirkaldy	16	—	—	—	—	—	16	—
Westminster	18	—	—	—	—	—	18	1,969.60
Darlington	18	15	—	—	—	1,030.40	33	2,163.20
Kirklees	30	39	—	—	—	995.10	69	1,456.20
Child Benefit1	—	—	—	—	—	404.80	—	2,643
Totals	233	121	55	17	—	11,757.70	426	26,503.2
1 Refers to action undertaken by CBC during the duration of Phase three.

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Prepared 29 September 1998