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17 Mar 2010 : Column 872W—continued
Pension Credit: York
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in City of York local authority area receive (a) basic state pension and (b) pension credit; and what the average weekly amount of pension credit received is. [321690]
Angela Eagle: As at March 2009, there were 36,800 recipients of the basic state pension in York local authority.
Notes:
1. Figures are subject a high degree of sampling error and should be used as a guide.
2. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
3. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
Source:
Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample
The information requested on the number of recipients of pension credit in York local authority and the average weekly award of pension credit received is in the following table:
| As at August 2009 | Number/£ |
| Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves or on behalf of themselves and a partner. Beneficiaries are the number of claimants in addition to the number of partners for whom they are claiming. 3. Pension credit is claimed on a household basis. The average weekly award of pension credit is in relation to the household. 4. Parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data. | |
Social Security Benefits: Fraud
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what requirements apply to people found to have committed benefit fraud to repay money defrauded; and what mechanisms are in place to recover the money in such cases; [322731]
(2) whether a claimant who has committed benefit fraud is required to repay the sum defrauded before making a further claim for benefit. [322734]
Helen Goodman: The Department seeks to minimise the amount of fraud arising in the system. Proportionally, fraud in the benefit system is now over 60 per cent. less than it was in 2000-01.
When benefit fraud is discovered the resultant overpayment is pursued in all cases and priority is given to fraud cases to ensure that the time delay between discovery and recovery is kept to a minimum. The mechanics of the recovery of the overpayment will vary depending on the value of the debt and the circumstances of the customer, but will include one or more of the following:-
Compulsory recovery from ongoing benefit entitlement;
Recovery by lump sum or instalment for those no longer in receipt of benefit;
Seizure of assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act;
Compensation order awarded by the courts;
Referral to a private sector partner to undertake debt recovery where appropriate; and
Enforcement of the debt through civil court where appropriate.
A customer is not required to repay the sum defrauded before making a further claim to benefit, though we would take deductions from future benefit payments to recover the debt. The maximum rate for recovery of overpayments arising from fraudulent activity is greater than it is for ordinary overpayments.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many fraudulent benefit claims were detected in each of the last five years; how many such cases resulted in (a) administrative penalties, (b) cautions, (c) prosecutions and (d) convictions in each of these years; and how many of those convicted received a (i) custodial sentence, (ii) community sentence and (iii) discharge in each of these years; [322732]
(2) what sanctions are available to her Department with respect to people found to have committed benefit fraud; and how many and what percentage of people found to have committed benefit fraud received each type of sanction in each of the last five years. [322733]
Helen Goodman: The Department for Work and Pensions has three criminal sanctions available for use in cases of benefit fraud. These are cautions, administrative penalties and criminal prosecutions.
In addition, the 'Two Strike' 13 week loss of benefit sanction applies to those who have been convicted twice of benefit fraud within a set period. From 1 April 2010 the Department will also be able to apply a 'One Strike' four week loss of benefit sanction to those who have been convicted of benefit fraud for the first time, as well as to those who have accepted an administrative penalty or caution.
If a benefit claim is confirmed as fraudulent following an investigation, one of the above criminal sanctions will be applied in all cases. The figures provided in the following tables represent the number of fraudulent benefit claims detected in each of the last five years.
The available information for both Department for Work and Pensions and local authority administered benefits is provided. Information on local authority prosecutions and convictions is not yet available for 2008-09.
| Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits | ||||
| Number of administrative penalties issued | Number of cautions issued | Number prosecuted for benefit fraud | Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences | |
| Sources: 1. Administrative penalty and caution data is taken from the Fraud Information by Sector system (FIBS) and the Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System (FRAIMS). 2. Prosecution and conviction data for England and Wales is taken from DWP/DH Legal Group's computerised information system. 3. Prosecution and conviction data for Scotland is taken from FIBS and FRAIMS. | ||||
| Local authority administered benefits | ||||
| Number of administrative penalties issued | Number of cautions issued | Number prosecuted for benefit fraud | Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences | |
| (1) Unavailable. Note: The decision to prosecute is taken by the appropriate local authority. Source: Housing Benefit Operational Database (HOBOD) using local authority administrative returns. | ||||
Information relating to how many individuals convicted of benefit fraud received a custodial sentence, community sentence or discharge is only available for Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits. The available information is provided in the following table.
| Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits | ||||
| Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences | Number of custodial s entences given | Number of community s entences given | Number of discharges given | |
| Sources: 1. Information for England and Wales is taken from DWP/DH Legal Group's computerised information system. 2. Information for Scotland is taken from the Fraud Information by Sector system (FIBS) and the Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System (FRAIMS). | ||||
Social Security Benefits: Publicity
Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what her policy is on the provision of (a) information and (b) information leaflets on (i) attendance allowance and (ii) other welfare benefits in (A) post offices, (B) libraries and (C) other public places. [322255]
Helen Goodman: There is currently no contractual agreement between the Department for Work and Pensions and the Post Office for the display of leaflets about attendance allowance or any welfare benefits.
While there is no national agreement for the display of leaflets at libraries, doctors surgeries, council offices and citizens advise bureaux there are a number of routes that ensure the availability of leaflets at these locations:
The Pension Service's local service teams, located throughout England, Scotland and Wales, have local partnerships with external organisations and formally monitor the use and availability of leaflets at 'Hard Copy Information Points' on partner premises. They also share local knowledge and experience of which leaflets are the most popular and most useful to our customers.
The 62,000 subscribers to the Central Office of Information's Publicity Register receive a quarterly magazine called 'Touchbase' which provides details of current and forthcoming information campaigns. Subscribers are also able to order leaflets directly from the Department through its on-line catalogue of information products.
The Department has a commercial agreement in place to provide key Pension Service and Disability and Carer Service leaflets in more than half of all doctors waiting rooms and pharmacies across the UK. The cost of this service is met directly by the Department and the information provided by it is available free of charge to the public.
Customers can also access the Department's leaflets and the latest information about benefits and services online at the Directgov website.
State Retirement Pensions
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment she has made of the merits of uprating earnings-related state pensions at the same rate as the basic state pension from April 2010. [318622]
Angela Eagle: The conventions on uprating state pensions are concerned with maintaining their price value. Had we applied those rules this year, when inflation as measured by the September retail Price Index was minus 1.4 per cent. pensioners would not have received a rise in their State pension.
However, we are committed to getting help to the 11 million pensioners in Great Britain, many of whom are facing difficulties in the current economic climate. We are determined that the fairest and most effective way was to apply an above inflation increase of 2.5 per cent. to the basic state pension. This will be worth around £1 billion to pensioners and will mean that on average state pension recipients will see an overall increase of 2 per cent. in their state pension. At the same time we have increased the pension credit standard minimum guarantee by £2.60 a week for single pensioners and £3.95 for couples to help the poorest pensioners.
By contrast, increasing additional State pension would have a widely variable effect on the help given to pensioners. For example, very elderly female pensioners receiving on average £5 of additional pension a week would only see an increase of a few pence each week on their state pension. However, others, typically younger male pensioners who had higher earnings, could see increases closer to around £4 a week. Increasing the basic state pension means that help is provided to more pensioners with a more even distribution.
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