A major fraud crackdown launched by Hartlepool Borough Council has already clawed back more than half a million pounds, and the figure is set to rise further as more cases come to light.
The Council has been focussing on false and incorrect claims for Single Person Discount (SPD) - the 25% reduction in Council Tax available where only one adult lives at a property - alongside investigations into Council Tax Reduction and referrals to the Department for Work and Pensions in respect of Housing Benefit and Universal Credit claims.
Since SPD investigations began in April 2024, the number of discounts paid out has fallen by 944. The properties involved span Council Tax bands A to G, but even if the lowest Band A SPD rate of £426.15 is used to calculate the saving then just over £402,000 is now coming back into council coffers year-on-year, money that can be directed to frontline services.
The Council’s expanded anti-fraud team has also reduced the amount paid out in respect of Council Tax Reduction and Housing Benefit by £140,000 a year in the last four months alone.
Councillor Graham Harrison, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “We are committed to ensuring that everyone who is entitled to financial support receives it, and we actively encourage residents to claim all the benefits and discounts they are legitimately entitled to.
“We understand that some claims can be made incorrectly but in good faith. However, we will not stand by while a minority choose to deliberately abuse the system for their own gain, and we make absolutely no apology for taking a robust approach to tackling fraud
“Every pound claimed fraudulently is a pound diverted away from the services that residents rely on every day at a time when the Council’s finances continue to be under extreme pressure.”
The Council gave advance warning of the SPD crackdown and urged residents to ensure their affairs were in order. Some chose to do so, but others didn’t.
Investigators say they continue to receive a steady stream of referrals, whilst also dealing with a number of appeals from people unhappy to have lost discounts or benefits.
These include cases where:
- A resident insisted they were never at a property linked to a disputed claim. However, evidence collected told a different story.
- Another claimant sought the return of seven months' worth of SPD after insisting that they lived in the property alone. However, instead of receiving a refund they ended up with an additional bill in excess of £5,000 based on evidence collected.
A separate exercise was carried out by the Council to examine the capital held by benefit claimants. In 20 targeted cases, seven claimants had failed to declare savings exceeding the thresholds that can affect entitlement to support. Benefits were reduced accordingly, and overpayments totalling £36,813 were identified.
Councillor Harrison added: “Those who deliberately provide false information, fail to declare changes in their circumstances or attempt to exploit public funds should be in no doubt that we will take strong action. We now have the advanced technology tools, expertise and determination to identify fraud, recover money owed and protect the public purse.
“Our priority is to ensure that limited resources are used where they are genuinely needed and to safeguard vital services for communities across the borough."
People can report fraud directly to the Council at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/report-fraud