Issue - meetings

Mr Filmer Wellard, Investigations Manager on secondment from Swale Borough Council, presented the Benefit Fraud Annual Report which provided a summary of the achievements of the Benefit Fraud team during 2013/14 and an update on the impact of the implementation of the provisions of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 and the creation of the Single Fraud Investigation Service.  It was noted that:

·  The implementation of the three-way Fraud Investigation shared service (based on MKIP) would provide some resilience until the Single Fraud Investigation Service was rolled out locally.  The Department for Works and Pensions would be responsible for the administration and investigation of all welfare benefits from the date of the roll out until the introduction of Universal Credit.  It was anticipated that the roll out date for the three partner authorities would be 1 March 2016.

·  A business case was being prepared to determine the resources required to deliver a quality fraud investigation service in relation to the functions that would remain with local authorities after the roll out of the Single Fraud Investigation Service and to address the risks in new and emerging fraud such as discounts on empty homes and Tenancy Fraud.

·  There was a risk that experienced staff might look for alternative employment prior to the implementation of the Single Fraud Investigation Service.

The Committee asked a number of questions relating to the calculation of the monetary value of benefit fraud; the treatment of administrative and claimant errors; and trends in the figures year on year.

Members felt that robust arrangements were in place for the detection of benefit fraud and the recovery of overpayments and penalties.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.