I’m reading in the news today and hearing on the radio that we’re all going to be hit hard in a bid to claw back the deficit, at the same time I am reading a story in the local paper ‘The Northern Echo” about a Darlington grandmother who stole over £38000 of benefits because she didn’t declare she was married, in fact not only did she not disclose this fact, she lied when confronted. This story prompted me to dig a little further.
It transpires that in 2009 the DWP caught in excess of 50000 benefit cheats, the DWP (Department of Work & Pensions) reckon there is around £900 million of benefit fraud going on, other sources suggest the figure is more likely to be 3 times that if it is also taken into account the other services people get when claiming benefits. Why should you take a bit hit for the deficit when there is so much fraud going on in the benefit system, would you have reported the Darlington grandmother?
