The Council has the duty by law to administer a
benefits service to those within its area who qualify. We also have
a responsibility to ensure that payments are made only to those who
are actually entitled to receive them.
For that reason, we have our own Fraud section
whose duties include:
Working and Claiming
Working and claiming fraud usually involves
claimants who are in receipt of Housing Benefit / Council Tax
Benefit on the basis of entitlement to Job Seekers Allowance /
Income Support, but who are in fact working.
Any cases that arise in these circumstances will
usually involve a joint investigation involving the Council and the
Department for Work and Pensions.
Non-disclosure of property / capital
This fraud is where a claimant fails to declare
either savings / capital or the ownership of another property /
land elsewhere.
Non-disclosure of income
This is where the claimant fails to declare all
of their income, knowing or intending that non-declaration will
increase their benefit award. (eg A private pension).
Non-disclosure of partner (living together as husband and
wife)
This involves a claimant failing to declare the
presence of a partner who is working, knowing or intending that
this would affect their entitlement.
Non-declaration of non-dependants and/or sub-tenants
It is fraudulent if a claimant fails to declare
the presence of other adults living in the property, in order to
preserve or increase entitlement to benefit.
False claims by homeowners
This is where the owner of a property falsely
states that he or she is paying rent to occupy what is in fact, his
or her own property.
Failing to declare change of address
Where a claimant fails to declare that he / she
has moved, but continues to accept payments of Housing Benefit for
their previous address, they are committing a fraud.
False address fraud
This fraud may occur where a person is claiming
for an address at which he or she is not in fact living. This type
of offence may occur with the collusion of the landlord or other
tenants.
Landlord fraud
This is where a landlord continues to receive
benefit paid directly to him / her for a period after which he /
she is aware the claimant vacated the premises. Where the
landlord has access to more than one property, there is the
potential to move tenants around without informing the Local
Authority.
There are many ways other ways in which
landlords and managing agents can defraud the benefit system,
particularly in areas where there is a large proportion of multiple
occupation houses and there are many seasonal workers looking for
short-term lets.
For further information:
- Contact: Benefits
Investigation Team, Town Hall, Penrith CA11 7QF
- Telephone: Confidential
Hotline (01768) 212238
- Email:
Ben.Inv@eden.gov.uk
- Fax: (01768) 212140
