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More than 7,000 cases of ex-pat benefit fraud last year, says DWP (12 August 2014)

Date: 12/08/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, More than 7,000 cases of ex-pat benefit fraud last year, says DWP

Figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that, in the last year, there have been 7,296 cases of benefit fraud detected among Britons living overseas in 157 different countries, who were wrongly claiming benefits such as pension credit, housing benefit and income support.

The DWP figures reveal that 769 cases of benefit fraud among ex-pats living overseas were detected in Spain – as well as 628 cases of ex-pat benefit fraud in Pakistan, 298 cases in Turkey, 282 in India, 246 in the United States, 213 in France, 180 in Bangladesh, 172 in Thailand, 130 in Australia and 126 in Cyprus.

Some of those detected by benefit fraud investigators are leading lives in the sun, while claiming to be unemployed or disabled in the UK. Several claimants had been wrongly paid more than £100,000 in fraudulent benefit claims.

The DWP says that benefit overpayments to ex-pats are frequently made because the claimant has simply failed to advise the DWP they are living overseas.

Others have failed to report the fact that a benefit claimant has died and the payments have continued.

The head of the DWP’s counter-fraud investigators, Richard West, said:

“Benefit cheats need to know that – even if they are out of the country – our teams will still investigate and, where necessary, bring them back to the UK to face justice.”

It is estimated that benefit fraud among Britons living overseas may cost the taxpayer as much as £80 million every year.

Duncan Lewis Benefit Fraud Lawyers

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of benefit fraud lawyers and can advise claimants under suspicion of benefit fraud at any stage of a charge, including charges relating to:

• Bedroom Tax fraud
• Blue Badge fraud
• Child Tax Credits fraud
• Council Tax Relief fraud
• Disability Living Allowance fraud
• Income Support fraud
• Jobseeker’s Allowance fraud
• Pension Credits fraud
• Universal Credit fraud
• Working Tax Credits fraud.

For expert legal advice on benefit fraud, contact Duncan Lewis benefit fraud lawyers on 020 7923 4020.

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