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£1m lost to Blackburn with Darwen benefit cheaters

3:44pm Monday 6th September 2010 in


BENEFIT fraudsters have conned Blackburn with Darwen council out of almost £1million in the past two years, it has been revealed.

There were 717 cases, costing the authority a total of £918,349, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Bosses said they tried to recover the money lost ‘in every case’, with 65 prosecutions, 105 financial penalties given out and 122 people formally cautioned.

The council would not release specific information about cases.

It said most of the scams were spotted either by benefits staff or by cross-referencing with other public services and Government departments.

Comments(8)

happycyclist says...
8:57pm Mon 6 Sep 10

Well here's one: Blackburn with Darwen Council/Crapita have cheated me out of £240 in Housing Benefit that I am entitled to and have been trying to 'recover' since April.
Works both ways, except people like me can't afford to prosecute the Council, and can't hit them with financial penalties or formally caution them.
I'm down the town hall on Wednesday to attempt yet again to get them to pay money that is owed to me and I'll probably be palmed off yet again with lies, incompetence and bullsh*t.

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DEO VOLENTE says...
10:49pm Mon 6 Sep 10

It is a well established fact that "Benefit Fraud" grew to unprecedented levels under the "New Labour" government. "New Labour" allowed Hundreds of thousands of dangerous criminals into the U.K. It is therefore unsuprising that a Million Pounds has been lost in one small Borough, The cost to the U.K. for the "New Labour" legacy is alarming and astronomical. "New Labour" failed on Immigration, Crime and Disorder, Europe, Education, the NHS, and most importantly on protecting U.K citizens, We must never allow "New Labour" to infect and corrupt the U.K. again. Are you listening "Mr Nihiliband." Ah well "Tempus Fugit".
Deus Vobiscum.

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CapitaBackHander says...
11:04pm Mon 6 Sep 10

How on earth has this happened? I tried to claim housing benefit when sadly my circumstances meant I could BUT I was wrongly declined it on three occassions. I fought and fought and got the money in the end although I was underpaid £200.00. By the time I won the right to my money I was no longer claiming - it was done on purpose in the hope and I other legit people will not appeal or claim again!
Since then I reckon circumstances mean I should have been entitled to benefits but I was told I was not.
With all the fuss in the news about people spounging off the state I am sure a benefit of some kind must have been due.
Amazes me how some people do live on benefits - the system certainly isn't fair.

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CapitaBackHander says...
11:06pm Mon 6 Sep 10

DEO VOLENTE wrote:
It is a well established fact that "Benefit Fraud" grew to unprecedented levels under the "New Labour" government. "New Labour" allowed Hundreds of thousands of dangerous criminals into the U.K. It is therefore unsuprising that a Million Pounds has been lost in one small Borough, The cost to the U.K. for the "New Labour" legacy is alarming and astronomical. "New Labour" failed on Immigration, Crime and Disorder, Europe, Education, the NHS, and most importantly on protecting U.K citizens, We must never allow "New Labour" to infect and corrupt the U.K. again. Are you listening "Mr Nihiliband." Ah well "Tempus Fugit". Deus Vobiscum.
David drop the "new labour" line. Europe was to blame for most you go on about.

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Michael Johnson says...
11:35am Wed 8 Sep 10

How much of this cheated money has found its way into the pockets of Labour and liberal councillors? some councillors are claiming dissability yet id does not stop them from covering thousands of miles on foot or traveling to far of places. Some have even been photographed moving bins and clearing rubbish. What exactly is the disability these people are claiming for. I would love to know as i gave up my seat undefended and claimed no council expences during my time. And i did the job over the last two years with a broken neck. Some questions need to be asked as to how these councillors can leaflet and canvas as well as cover the miles needed to do the job they do on the committees they are on. I think its as dodgy as hell, i did in the council and i do now as i have seen some of these supposed disabled councillors and it makes me sick.

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Ken Shuffles says...
12:30pm Wed 8 Sep 10

Most of the losses incurred are from systemic incompetency, council fraud, back-handing and professional mismanagement.

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Ken Shuffles says...
12:32pm Wed 8 Sep 10

It wouldn't surprise me if the Pope had some involvment in this......

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toomuchtalk says...
6:47pm Thu 9 Sep 10

i think i could recoup 10 times the amount of money lost, all i need is a team of 2 personnel. Alot of the people claiming benefits have thousands of pounds of undeclared assets abroad. other information such as family trees..credit reports for linked addresses, with a few other variables. give me a judge for the confiscation of assets order and i will get the ball rolling .i cant tell you the exact workings of my proposal.. but i could guarantee a massive windfall for our local council. get in touch

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