Progress In Tackling Benefit Fraud: Hc 102, Report By The Comptroller And Auditor General, Session 2007-2008 (house Of Commons Papers)

This Nao Report Is A Follow Up To One Issued In The 2002-03 Session (hc 393, Isbn 9780102920635), Tackling Benefit Fraud. The Report Sets Out Some Key Facts, Including: That The Total Benefit Expenditure Is £120 Billion; The Total Number Of Recipients Is 18 Million; The Total Estimated Fraud Is £0.8 Billion. In The 2006-07 Period, £154 Million Was Spent On Six Strategies To Reduce Fraud, With A Departmental Estimate Of £106 Million Of Benefit Overpayments Identified As A Result Of Fraud Investigation And Compliance Activity. Also In The 2006-07 Period, The Department Recovered £22 Million Of The Total £339 Million Outstanding Fraud Debt. Although The Nao Has Identified That Fraud Has Fallen From An Estimated £2 Billion In 2001-02 To An Estimated £0.8 Billion In 2006-07, Official Error Has Risen In The Same Period From £1 Billion To £1.9 Billion. Tackling Fraud Is A Key Priority For The Department For Work And Pensions, And The Report Examines The Main Anti-fraud Initiatives, Recognising That: Tackling Benefit Is Inherently Difficult; That The Uk Has Levels Of Social Security Fraud And Error Which Are Similar To Those Of Comparable Countries; That The Department Has Made Good Progress In Tackling Fraud, But Will Find It Increasingly Difficult To Secure Further Year On Year Reductions. The Nao Has Also Set Out A Number Of Recommendations, Including: That The Department's Management Information On Fraud Could Be Improved, With Greater Communication Between The Various Departmental Directorates Responsible For Counter-fraud Work; That A Review Of The Cost Effectiveness Of The Customer Compliance Approach (which Deals With Lower Risk Cases Of Fraud) Should Be Done; That A Record Of The Outcomes Of Prosecution Activities Should Be Taken By Case Type To Provide Better Departmental Information; That The Department Must Review Recovery Of Overpayments In Fraud Cases And Consider Setting Appropriate Targets For Recovery From Customers Who Have Committed Fraud.