Benefit Fraud

Dear Viv,

Your request has been logged and a response will be issued by not later than 8 October. The request has been allocated reference: FOI/2859/10

Allan Graham
Information Compliance Officer
01786-442926

show quoted sections

Dear Viv Nicoll,

Freedom of Information Ref: FOI/2859/10

For the financial year 2009/2010, Stirling Council offered the
following Sanctions:

Nine cautions were offered. All nine were accepted. The age range of
those involved was 29 to 58 years old.

Five Administrative Penalties were offered. All five were accepted. The
age range of those involved was 26 to 60 years old.
The value of the overpayments ranged from £65.58 (+DWP overpayment) to
£3854.89.

The total amount of Housing/Council Tax Benefit overpayments identified
as the result of fraud investigations for the financial year 2009/10 was
£180, 438.71.

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which your request for
information has been dealt with you are entitled to request a review of
the actions and decisions made by the Council in relation to your
request. You can, if you wish, ask informally for the reasoning behind
the response, and if still dissatisfied you can request a formal review.
In any case, your request for review must be in writing or some other
permanent form stating your name and address for correspondence, and
specifying the request for information to which your request for review
relates and why you are dissatisfied with the response.

You must make your request for review not later than 40 working days
after the expiry of the 20 working day period of response to your
initial request by the Council or not later than 40 days after the
receipt by you of the information provided, any fees notice issued or
any notification of refusal or partial refusal.

Your request for review should be addressed in the first instance to:

Allan Graham
Information Compliance Officer
Governance
Old Viewforth
STIRLING
FK8 2ET
E.Mail: [Stirling Council request email]

Allan Graham will then arrange for an appropriate officer to undertake
a review
Please note that in any e.mail you must state your name.

If you are dissatisfied with how your request for a review has been
dealt with, then you are entitled to ask the Scottish Information
Commissioner to investigate your case. You must ask the Scottish
Information Commissioner no later than 6 months after the date of
receipt by you of the notice or decision you are dissatisfied with or
within 6 months of the expiry of the period of 20 working days from
receipt by the Council of your request for review. You should write to;

The Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
(Tel 01334 464610)
Email: [email address]

Kind Regards

FOI request received 12/09/2010 19:13

Dear Stirling Council,

Your authority as an alternative to prosecution can offer, people
suspected of having committed Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax
Benefit, the offer of either an Administrative Penalty or an
Administrative Caution.

Please supply the following information regarding the use of both
Administrative Penalties and Administrative Cautions, in respect
of
the financial year 2009/10.

The number of people offered an Administrative Penalty.

The number of people who accepted the Administrative Penalty.

The number of people who didn't accept the Administrative Penalty
who were then reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

The range of values of the penalties offered.

The range of ages of people offered an Administrative Penalty.

The above information with the exception of the range of values
is
also requested with regards the use of Administrative Cautions.

Please also provide details of the monetary value of fraud
detected
during the above period.

Yours faithfully,

viv nicoll

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