Royal Greenwich Council Clamps Down On Fraudsters

* Cllr Maureen O'mara

by our RBG Correspondent | Woolwich

Council fraud investigators have detected over £700,000 in fraudulent claims in the last year. Their successes have helped protect public funds for vital local services.

The royal borough’s anti-fraud team brought 46 successful cases including 18 prosecutions as part of its wide-ranging investigative work into housing benefit, council tax and income support fraud.

The crack team of investigators works with the police to probe all types of fraud perpetrated or attempted against the council including council tax, business rates, council tenancies, right to buy and blue badge fraud. Responsibility for housing benefit investigations has just transferred to central government.

In-depth investigations over the last year saw the team recover illegally gained property and financial losses including:

* A tenant who had illegally sublet a council home while owning and living in her own house outside of the borough - she was ordered to repay a total of £44,111.

* Two sisters who used the identity of their deceased sister to get a council home, then went on to fraudulently purchase a royal borough property under the Right to Buy scheme – resulting in a suspended prison sentence for them both – they were also ordered to repay a total of £60,000.

* A benefit claimant who hid £44,000 cash in his garden shed. The money was seized by police during a search of his home. Upon sentencing at the Crown Court, the council received the payment of £28,000 to cover the benefit fraud. The police confiscated the remaining amount.

Last year’s success follows good results for the preceding five years which show the royal borough’s anti-fraud team has made a significant impact in tackling housing benefit and council tax fraud.

Between 2011 and 2015 the team has:

* Handled 274 fraudulent benefit cases, resulting in 143 prosecutions and 131 cases where fraudsters where fined or cautioned.

* Recovered 200 tenancies valued at £15m along with almost £4m in benefit overpayments.

* Had £1.85 million in assets restrained at Court and were awarded Confiscation Orders totalling £660,000.

The team also provides anti-fraud services for neighbouring Bromley where it has had similar success.

Cllr Maureen O’Mara, cabinet member for customer services, said: “The council has a

very high success rate catching those who actions ultimately cost us all. Pursuing fraudsters often involves complex and lengthy work but we will catch and punish anyone who commits fraud against the royal borough of Greenwich.

“As ever, we need people to be vigilant and keep reporting any suspected cases to our teams so we can take action and get this money back – to direct it towards areas most in need.”