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Shropshire uncovers nearly £1m in benefit overpayments and benefit fraud (14 February 2014)

Date: 14/02/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Shropshire uncovers nearly £1m in benefit overpayments and benefit fraud

Councillors in Shropshire have uncovered nearly £1 million-worth of overpayments and benefit fraud in the county, according to a report in local newspaper the Shropshire Star.

A performance monitoring report which will be presented to Shropshire Council’s audit committee on Thursday (13/02/14) showing that in the current financial year (2013-14), overpayments and benefit fraud in Shropshire amounted to £430,000 – while in 2012-13, overpayments and benefit fraud amounted to £550,000.

In Shropshire, nearly £80m is paid out in benefits to legitimate claimants each year, with benefit fraud accounting for only 0.5% of the total benefits bill in Shropshire.

The performance monitoring report also found, however, that overpayments in Income Support and Pension Credits in Shropshire totalled £325,000. In 2013-14, a total of £160,000 in overpayments relating to Income Support and pension credits was uncovered up to January 2014. Last year (2012-13), the total amounted to £165,000.

The report revealed that the budget for detecting fraud in the benefits system in Shropshire has been increased for this year – from £290,184 in 2012-13 to £311,504 in 2013-14.

However, it is anticipated that only £284, 737 will be spent on benefit fraud investigations in Shropshire in 2013-14.

The report also revealed that between 2012 and 2014, hundreds of claimants had faced prosecution for overpayments of benefit relating to Council Tax and Income Support.

Duncan Lewis Benefit Fraud Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of benefit fraud solicitors and can advise benefit claimants at any stage of a fraud charge involving:

• Council Tax
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Tax Credits
• Pension Credits.

For expert legal advice on benefit fraud charges, contact Duncan Lewis benefit fraud solicitors on 020 7923 4020 – or call the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036.

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