Benefit Fraud Data
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Benefit Fraud Data
Number of occasions the Council use powers under the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud (Power to Require Information) (England) Regulations 2014, or similar powers. (This includes Housing Benefits and Council Tax Support fraud)
| Financial year | Number of occasions |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | None |
| 2021/22 | None |
| 2020/21 | None |
| 2019/20 | None |
| 2018/19 | None |
| 2017/18 | None |
Total number (absolute and full time equivalent (FTE)) of employees undertaking investigations and prosecutions of fraud
| Financial year | Number of employees |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 1 FTE who is a Single Point of Contact for the DWP Shared Fraud Investigation Service team and conducts council tax support investigations and applies sanction. In conjunction with the Benefits Manager, this officer conducts sanctions such as cautions and Administrative penalties where appropriate. |
| 2021/22 | 1 FTE who is a Single Point of Contact for the DWP Shared Fraud Investigation Service team and conducts council tax support investigations and applies sanction. In conjunction with the Benefits Manager, this officer conducts sanctions such as cautions and Administrative penalties where appropriate. |
| 2020/21 | 1 FTE who is a Single Point of Contact for the DWP Shared Fraud Investigation Service team and conducts council tax support investigations and applies sanction. In conjunction with the Benefits Manager, this officer conducts sanctions such as cautions and Administrative penalties where appropriate. |
| 2019/20 | 1 FTE who is a Single Point of Contact for the DWP Shared Fraud Investigation Service team and conducts council tax support investigations and applies sanction. In conjunction with the Benefits Manager, this officer conducts sanctions such as cautions and Administrative penalties where appropriate. |
| 2018/19 | 1 FTE who is a Single Point Of Contact for the DWP Shared Fraud Investigation Service team and conducts council tax support investigations and applies sanction. In conjunction with the Benefits Manager, this officer conducts sanctions such as cautions and Administrative penalties where appropriate. |
| 2017/18 | 1 officer in the role of Single Point of contact for the DWP Fraud team and Shared Fraud Service. In conjunction with the Benefits Manager, this officer conducts sanctions such as cautions and Administrative penalties where appropriate. |
Total number (absolute and full time equivalent) of professionally accredited counter fraud specialists
| Financial year | Number of professionally accredited counter fraud specialists |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 1 - Qualified fraud officer undertakes Council Tax Support investigations and liaises with the DWP Investigations section. |
| 2021/22 | 1 - Qualified fraud officer undertakes Council Tax Support investigations and liaises with the DWP Investigations section. |
| 2020/21 | 1 - Qualified fraud officer undertakes Council Tax Support investigations and liaises with the DWP Investigations section. |
| 2019/20 | 1 - Qualified fraud officer undertakes Council Tax Support investigations and liaises with the DWP Investigations section. |
| 2018/19 | 0 - Accredited counter fraud staff transferred to the DWP’s Single Investigation Service |
| 2017/18 | 0 - Accredited counter fraud staff transferred to the DWP’s Single Investigation Service |
Total amount spent by the authority on the investigation and prosecution of fraud
| Financial year | Amount spent |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | £30,000 salary costs |
| 2021/22 | £30,000 salary costs |
| 2020/21 | £30,000 salary costs |
| 2019/20 | £26,250 salary costs |
| 2018/19 | £23,110 salary costs |
| 2017/18 | £23,110 salary costs |
Total number of fraud cases investigated
| Financial year | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 83 |
| 2021/22 | 35 |
| 2020/21 | 38 |
| 2019/20 | 22 |
| 2018/19 | 24 |
| 2017/18 | 43 |
Total number of cases of irregularity investigated
| Financial year | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 83 |
| 2021/22 | 38 |
| 2020/21 | 0 |
| 2019/20 | 0 |
| 2018/19 | 0 |
| 2017/18 | 0 |
Total number of occasions on which fraud and irregularity were identified
| Financial year |
Number of occasions fraud was identified |
Number of occasions irregularity was identified |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 14 | 47 |
| 2021/22 | 35 | 38 |
| 2020/21 | 22 | 38 |
| 2019/20 | 6 | 22 |
| 2018/19 | 10 | 14 |
| 2017/18 | 9 | 28 |
Total monetary value of the fraud and the irregularity that were detected
| Financial year |
Total monetary value of the fraud detected |
Total monetary value of irregularity detected |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | £69,615 in respect of fraud overpayments. | £148,829 |
| 2021/22 | £87,970 in respect of fraud overpayments. | £63,392 |
| 2020/21 | £33,996 in respect of fraud overpayments. | £56,973 |
| 2019/20 | £97,262 in respect of fraud overpayments. | N/A |
| 2018/19 | £53,042 in Housing benefit overpayments. | N/A |
| 2017/18 | £86,951 in Housing benefit overpayments. | N/A |
Total monetary value of the fraud and the irregularity that was recovered
| Financial year |
Total monetary value of the fraud recovered |
Total monetary value of irregularity recovered |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 |
£69,615 |
£148,829 |
| 2021/22 | £87,970 | £63,392 |
| 2020/21 | £20,737 | £34,329 |
| 2019/20 | £18,449 | £53,593 |
| 2018/19 | £91,879 total recovered | |
| 2017/18 | £39,720.70 total recovered | |