Housing benefit fraud costs Cheshire district more than £1.7 million

More than £1.7 million pounds have been stolen by housing benefit thieves in the Cheshire district of Halton, it has been revealed.

The local authority has recently released figures that show benefit fraud has been prevalent in the area between 2011 and 2015. The shocking figures reveal that a total sum of £1,723,520 has been stolen.

The figures are as follows:

• 2011 – 2012: £387,322
• 2012 – 2013: £340,643
• 2013 – 2014: £383,432
• 2014 – 2015: £359,111
• 2015 – 2016: £255,012

The council also revealed that there were a total of over 2,000 referrals made for benefit fraud within that period. The numbers decreased from 593 in 2011 – 2012 to just 94 in the period of 2015 – 2016.

It should be noted that current financial figures were unavailable as the Department for Work & Pensions took over housing benefit fraud investigations in August 2015, due to the introduction of Universal Credit in the area.

According to one council spokesman, the cost to the council itself was less than 60% of the total sum. 40% of the sum was money stolen from government subsidies.

The spokesman said that attempts were being made to reclaim some of the money from claimants that had received overpayments. Actions taken to reclaim this money include ongoing payment deductions, attachment of benefits and direct invoices sent to overpaid housing benefit claimants.

The council made it clear that while the DWP is now responsible for housing benefit and investigations into housing benefit fraud, it would continue to remain vigilant and support any investigation that would bring justice to those abusing the system. It noted that the housing benefit fraud reported only represents a small minority, and that it shouldn’t be a reflection on those that actually require support for housing.