Work and Pensions written question – answered at on 30 March 2006.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many fraudulent benefit claims were (a) detected and (b) prosecuted in each year since 1997.
holding answer
We do not collect information on the number of fraudulent benefit claims detected by local authorities. Information on the number of fraudulent benefit claims detected by DWP is provided in the tables. For the years 1997–8 and 1998–9 there was a broader definition of 'detected fraud', much of which did not lead to an immediate change in benefit entitlement. For those years, the figures are as follows.
Referrals counted as fraud | Total sanctions(18) | |
---|---|---|
1997–98 | 483,814(19) | 11,523 |
1998–99 | 420,766(19) | 12,964 |
(18) From December 1998 the system of criminal sanctions was extended to introduce administrative penalties and cautions as an alternative to prosecutions.
(19) Before 1999 a different system for counting cases was used. Figures from 1999 are not comparable with previous figures.
Source:
Fraud Information by Sector (FiBS) & Organised Fraud (OF) Resource Management.
From April 1999 there was a major change in the method of measuring effective cases, limiting the count only to those cases with an immediate change in benefit entitlement. In view of this change, figures from 1999–2000 are set out in the table.
Referrals accepted for investigation | Detected fraud (Effective outcomes) | Total sanctions(20) | |
---|---|---|---|
1999–00 | 564,543 | 198,467 | 20,301 |
2000–01 | 441,368 | 182,569 | 27,139 |
2001–02 | 389,633 | 160,974 | 24,906 |
2002–03 | 334,974 | 145,232 | 23,669 |
2003–04 | 325,706 | 135,710 | 25,363 |
2004–05 | 309,343 | 150,651 | 27,175 |
(20) From December 1998 the system of criminal sanctions was extended to introduce administrative penalties and cautions as an alternative to prosecutions.
Notes:
On the fall in detected cases after 1999:
1. In line with the fall in benefit fraud there has been a reduction in the stock of fraud, leading to fewer referrals and fewer cases for investigation.
2. There has also been a more focused approach to investigation with a more selective referral management system. This has enabled us to concentrate on the more serious criminal investigations to maintain the level of sanctions imposed where fraud has been detected.
3. The development of new initiatives such as data matching with other agencies has also played a significant part in this more targeted approach to fraud investigation.
4. We are also introducing a new customer compliance approach as a more effective method of dealing with the lower level frauds that do not need to be investigated to the criminal standard.
Source:
Fraud Information by Sector (FiBS) & Organised Fraud (OF) Resource Management.
Information regarding the number of prosecutions for benefit fraud is in the table.
DWP | Local authorities | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prosecutions | Convictions | Prosecutions | Convictions | Total convictions | |
1997–98 | 11,523 | 11,386 | — | 730 | 12116 |
1998–99 | 10,129 | 9,967 | — | 831 | 10798 |
1999–2000 | 9,272 | 9,129 | — | 861 | 9990 |
2000–01 | 11,584 | 11,403 | — | 1112 | 12515 |
2001–02 | 11,355 | 11,183 | 2,101 | 1,732 | 12915 |
2002–03 | 9,396 | 9,267 | 3,187 | 2,503 | 11770 |
2003–04 | 9,204 | 9,091 | 4,601 | 3,747 | 12838 |
2004–05 | 8,670 | 8,573 | 5,544 | 4,688 | 13261 |
Notes:
1. For DWP, prosecutions include convictions and acquittals and are totals of Counter fraud Investigation Service and Organised Fraud cases. For local authorities, prosecutions equate to the number of court summons issued.
Figures for prosecutions by local authorities are not available prior to 2001–02.
Source:
1. For DWP: fraud Information by Sector (FiBS) & Organised Fraud (OF).
2. Resource Management.
3. For local authorities: from 2001–02 onwards the numbers of prosecutions and convictions are taken from subsidy claim forms. Prior to this the numbers are taken from management information returns.
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