Getting results
We have a team of dedicated fraud investigators who work right across Northern Ireland.
Our investigators are highly trained in all aspects of fraud and have 'Professionalism in Security' training which is a nationally-accredited qualification.
In the 12 months from April 2006 to March 2007:
- our investigators carried out 9,340 investigations and as a result
- 5,131 benefit payments were cut, saving £13.3 million.
In addition
- 486 cases were referred to the Public Prosecution Service
- 179 people received administrative penalties (which are similar to fines)
- 55 people were cautioned.
During the same period 208 people were successfully prosecuted.
Another of our teams investigates and recovers missing cheques.
Benefit investigators can spot inconsistencies by matching information held on our computer systems to information provided by customers. They use the General Matching Service, an important tool in tackling benefit fraud.
Here are some examples of recent cases that have been successfully prosecuted.
- A Ballynahinch woman was fined £450 with 20 weeks to pay for claiming Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance to the value of £6,938.07 while failing to disclose savings. The overpayment was fully recovered.
- A Ballymoney man was fined £200 for working whilst claiming Jobseekers Allowance and ordered to make arrangements to repay the money to the Social Security Agency.
- An Omagh woman was given a six month prison sentence suspended for three years with a £250 fine on both charges of claiming Income Support and Housing Benefit while failing to disclose savings. The overpayments totalled £12,714.45 and were repaid in full.
- An Enniskillen woman was given a three month prison sentence, on each charge of claiming Income Support and Housing Benefit while working, suspended for two years. She was additionally fined £120 fine on each charge and has to repay the money to the Social Security Agency.
- A Holywood woman was given a conditional discharge for twelve months for working whilst claiming Income Support and has to repay the money to the Social Security Agency.
- A part-time magistrate and teacher from Bangor was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service after being convicted in Belfast Crown Court. She pleaded guilty to failing to declare a change in circumstances and making false statements, resulting in an overpayment of £41,398 and has repaid the overpayment in full.
- A Belfast woman who won close to £60,000 on the National Lottery received a one year suspended jail sentence, suspended for two years for falsely claiming £44,752 Income Support and Housing Benefit.
- A Dungannon man was fined £200 for claiming Income Support and Incapacity Benefit to the value of £4,249.25 while working. He has to repay the money to the Social Security Agency.
- A man was convicted at Londonderry Courthouse for wrongful encashment of Income Support cheques; he was fined £100 on each of the three cheques and has to repay the money to the Social Security Agency.
- A man was convicted at Omagh Courthouse of duplicate encashment of Income Support. He was fined £150 and has to repay the money to the Social Security Agency