Massive Benefits Fraud

[Baz1]

I know this stuff goes on, even on a smaller scale, but at this level- is our government at fault for not investigating earlier or being more thorough.

 

https://news.sky.com/story/jail-for-uks-biggest-benefit-fraudsters-who-stole-53m-using-fake-claims-13145736

[El Cid]

35 minutes ago, Baz1 said:

I know this stuff goes on, even on a smaller scale, but at this level- is our government at fault for not investigating earlier or being more thorough.

 

https://news.sky.com/story/jail-for-uks-biggest-benefit-fraudsters-who-stole-53m-using-fake-claims-13145736

 

Or not introducing ID cards or something similar?

[Baz1]

4 minutes ago, El Cid said:

 

Or not introducing ID cards or something similar?

Either way, there should have been more stricter rules in place,  and yes  ID cards probably. 

 

This was taxpayers money!

[ukdobby]

11 minutes ago, Baz1 said:

Either way, there should have been more stricter rules in place,  and yes  ID cards probably. 

 

This was taxpayers money!

Most of government departments get ripped,it’s not their money.

[Pyrotequila]

Some fine classic British names in that story 😂

 

[Baz1]

49 minutes ago, Pyrotequila said:

Some fine classic British names in that story 😂

 

Daily Mail is going to have a field of a day- comments will be in the 1000s.

 

Hope some of the money can be  taken back, and all assets bought be claimed and sold off.

[peak4]

Seems bizarre that it wasn't picked up sooner, but maybe we need more civil servants who are given the time and resources to do their jobs properly.
There seems to be a shortage of investigators, who find it easier and statistically more productive to target low level mistakes in situations such as accidental claims by carers. 

Carers having to pay back thousands is very wrong, says Keir Starmer Guardian, but lots of other cases, reports and slightly different circumstances

Similarly with Tax investigators
HMRC’s civil fraud investigations fall by nearly half Tax Journal

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) and the Observer reported recently on the fall in HMRC’s civil investigations into tax fraud. According to figures obtained by the TBIJ via a freedom of information request, HMRC’s Fraud Investigation team followed up over 37,000 leads in 2018/19, but this had reduced to just over 21,000 in 2022/23. The data also reveals the number of civil cases taken by HMRC fell from 17,424 to 12,584 across the same period.

This follows previous reports by both organisations that HMRC investigations had led to the prosecution of just 11 wealthy individuals in 2022, and that HMRC had not charged a single company with the corporate offences of failing to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion under the Criminal Finances Act 2017.

The one I really can't get my head around is this
Treasury’s £4.3bn fraud write-off likely to be eclipsed by £20bn Covid loan defaults as CBILs and BBLs are not repaid  City AM, but plenty of other sources

 

Lots of reports from various industries though

Scale of construction’s suspected Covid-loan fraud revealed     Construction News
More than 4,800 Covid loans issued to construction companies are suspected to have been fraudulent, Construction News can reveal.

[Baz1]

47 minutes ago, peak4 said:

Seems bizarre that it wasn't picked up sooner, but maybe we need more civil servants who are given the time and resources to do their jobs properly.
There seems to be a shortage of investigators, who find it easier and statistically more productive to target low level mistakes in situations such as accidental claims by carers. 

Carers having to pay back thousands is very wrong, says Keir Starmer Guardian, but lots of other cases, reports and slightly different circumstances

Similarly with Tax investigators
HMRC’s civil fraud investigations fall by nearly half Tax Journal

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) and the Observer reported recently on the fall in HMRC’s civil investigations into tax fraud. According to figures obtained by the TBIJ via a freedom of information request, HMRC’s Fraud Investigation team followed up over 37,000 leads in 2018/19, but this had reduced to just over 21,000 in 2022/23. The data also reveals the number of civil cases taken by HMRC fell from 17,424 to 12,584 across the same period.

This follows previous reports by both organisations that HMRC investigations had led to the prosecution of just 11 wealthy individuals in 2022, and that HMRC had not charged a single company with the corporate offences of failing to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion under the Criminal Finances Act 2017.

The one I really can't get my head around is this
Treasury’s £4.3bn fraud write-off likely to be eclipsed by £20bn Covid loan defaults as CBILs and BBLs are not repaid  City AM, but plenty of other sources

 

Lots of reports from various industries though

Scale of construction’s suspected Covid-loan fraud revealed     Construction News
More than 4,800 Covid loans issued to construction companies are suspected to have been fraudulent, Construction News can reveal.

It's mind blowing how much money gets past and what costs our government! 

 

I guess some see loop holes and take advantage on a grand scale.

[Baron99]

4 hours ago, Baz1 said:

I know this stuff goes on, even on a smaller scale, but at this level- is our government at fault for not investigating earlier or being more thorough.

 

https://news.sky.com/story/jail-for-uks-biggest-benefit-fraudsters-who-stole-53m-using-fake-claims-13145736

My bold. 

 

Not the Govt's fault but certainly the fault of civil service staff at the DWP who would have overseen the benefit applications. 

 

As someone said on the Today programme this morning, it's incredible, given the number of applications along with the IT systems in place that nobody flagged up over 50 applications from the same address, a terrace house, from different people. 

 

I also note the judge's comments following the sentences being handed out that the guilty should be considered for deportation at the end of their sentences. 

 

CONSIDERED!  It should be a nailed on, cast iron guarantee that they're chucked out of the UK.  Let's hope the some if not all UK taxpayers money can be recovered?