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Written question asked by James Clappison (Conservative) on Tuesday, 1 July 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 3 July 2008. It was answered by James Plaskitt (Labour) on Monday, 21 July 2008 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2008, Official Report, column 740W, on social security benefits: fraud, how many people (a) received a caution and (b) were convicted in respect of an offence of benefit fraud in each quarter for the last three years for which figures are available; and how many of those convicted were dealt with by way of (i) a discharge, (ii) a fine, (iii) a community sentence, (iv) a suspended sentence, (v) a custodial sentence, (vi) a custodial sentence of more than six months and (vii) a custodial sentence of more than 12 months.
Answer

Information broken down by the length of the custodial sentence is not available.The available information for DWP administered benefits is in the table.

Caution Conviction Discharge Fine Community service Suspended sentence Custodial sentence
2004-05
Q1 2,131 2,306 649 414 650 41 146
Q2 2,480 2,160 648 405 608 35 180
Q3 2,371 2,092 684 411 601 41 149
Q4 3,071 2,389 668 415 578 30 124
Total 10,053 8,947 2,649 1,645 2,437 147 599
2005-06
Q1 3,037 2,010 618 376 686 55 263
Q2 2,493 2,064 629 312 704 59 262
Q3 2,611 2,303 532 252 670 69 235
Q4 2,426 2,136 660 322 806 92 153
Total 10,567 8,513 2,439 1,262 2,866 275 913
2006-07
Q1 3,296 1,809 510 248 652 99 222
Q2 3,234 1,749 423 187 682 156 146
Q3 2,977 1,391 343 140 470 130 137
Q4 2,515 1,807 456 215 583 145 108
Total 12,022 6,756 1,732 790 2,387 530 613
Sources:
1. FIBS (Fraud Information by Sector) and FRAIMS.
2. Quarterly conviction figures from DWP/DH Legal Group.

Available information for local authority administered benefits is in the table.

Number of people cautioned and convicted during each quarter for the last three years
Cautions Convictions
2004-05
Q1 1,216 1,026
Q2 1,652 1,238
Q3 1,711 1,165
Q4 2,070 1,259
Total 6,649 4,688
2005-06
Q1 1,925 1,443
Q2 2,327 1,449
Q3 2,087 1,542
Q4 3,369 1,800
Total 9,708 6,234
2006-07
Q1 1,991 1,409
Q2 2,586 1,471
Q3 2,569 1,377
Q4 3,205 1,477
Total 10,351 5,734
Source:
Local authority housing benefit administrative returns.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
216777; 479 c865-6W;479 c863-4W
Session
2007-08
Related items
Social Security Benefits: Fraud
Monday, 16 June 2008
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Fraud Social security benefits
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk