Wakefield Council prosecuting benefit cheats after detecting more than £60K worth of fraud

The authority’s counter-fraud team identified nine fraudulent claims in the last financial year during joint investigations with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

Details of illegal overpayments are included in a report to the council’s audit committee.

Investigations identified overpayments of £43,894 of housing benefit, £10,525 of council tax support and £6,494 of DWP benefits.

The report said: “Four cases have been jointly sanctioned for prosecution and are awaiting progression through the criminal justice system with the Crown Prosecution Service.”

Other work carried out by the counter-fraud team included a crackdown on misuse of blue badge disabled parking passes during 2024/25.

It resulted in 20 investigations which led to 18 formal cautions and two warning letters being issued.

The council has issued more than 27,000 blue badges to eligible citizens in the past three years.

Officers are also reviewing data from the government’s national fraud initiative (NFI) which identified over £126,000 of savings that could be made from “recoverable overpayments.”

Planned work for the current financial year includes a review of the council’s corporate counter-fraud strategy and whistleblowing policy.

A review of purchase card spending by council staff is to be carried out as well as support being given to the authority’s internal audit team.

The report said: “This will cover areas such as overtime payments, milage claims, travel and subsistence, and creditor payments.”

It added: “Wakefield Council has a zero tolerance to fraud and corruption.

“We are committed to the governance, acknowledgement, prevention, pursuing fraudsters and protecting the council against fraud and corruption in all areas of activity.

“Every £1 that a local authority loses to fraud is money that cannot be spent on supporting the community.

“Fraud and corruption are a drain on local authority resources and can lead to reputational damage.”