DWP Central Freedom of Information Team

e-mail: [DWP request email]

Our Ref: VTR 1304

31 December 2008

Dear Mr Johnson

Freedom of Information Request - VTR 1304

Your request for information has been forwarded to the Fraud Investigation Service for consideration of a response.

Reports of Fraud

The average monthly number of reports of fraud received by the Fraud Investigation Service over the last 12 months (Dec 07 - Nov 08) is 70,143

Substantiated Reports

In the same period the following outcomes were recorded on FIS investigations which indicate that the initial report was substantiated.

* Adpens - Administrative Penalties are used for less serious cases of fraud; those where the overpayment is below £2,000. Administrative Penalties, which became available through the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997, give the claimant the opportunity to avoid prosecution by paying a penalty of 30 per cent of the overpayment, as well as having to repay the overpayment in full.

** Formal cautions are designed to correct claimant behaviour by getting them to admit to the offence on the understanding that a repetition could result in prosecution.

*** Others: include cases where FIS action has resulted in an outcome where a conviction has not been secured and an Ad pen or caution is not appropriate yet the report is substantiated and appropriate action has been taken, these include outcomes such as `deported post arrest', and `benefit correction'

The figures in the table represent outcomes recorded during the previous 12 months. It should be noted that there will always be an interval between receipt of a report of suspected fraud, the launch of an investigation, and its eventual conclusion. Therefore some of the results in the table may relate to reports received more than 12 months ago.

Malicious Intent

In response to the rest of the question, allegations of benefit fraud are received into the Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) from a variety of sources, including the National Benefit Fraud Hotline, the Internet, by post, from a Local Authority or the Police, referrals from DWP / Jobcentre plus staff when a suspicion is aroused during contact with customers and through data matching with other organisations.

No records are kept about reports supplied with `Malicious Intent' therefore we are unable to provide any statistical information. This is because allegations received from the public via the National Benefit Fraud Hotline are anonymous, unless the caller wishes to identify themselves, so taking action against those suspected of making false allegations would be impossible to instigate. Identifying and categorising such instances would also be very difficult; just because an allegation cannot be substantiated or is proven to be incorrect does not automatically indicate that an individual had knowingly made a false allegation.

If you are not satisfied with my handling of your request please tell me why within two calendar months of the date of this letter. I will then arrange for an internal review of your request and my actions. The review will be conducted by another officer of a more senior grade to myself who took no part in my original decision. The reviewing officer will advise you of his decision in writing.

If you are still not satisfied after we have looked at your request again, you can then ask the Information Commissioner to look into the way your request has been handled. The Commissioner is an independent officer who is appointed by Her Majesty the Queen and who reports directly to Parliament. The Commissioner can see all the papers about your request and decide whether my decision is fair and meets the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act.

The Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Fax: 01625 524 510

e-mail: http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours sincerely

DWP Central FoI Team