NO-HEADLINE
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Benefits Agency was defrauded of more than pounds 400,000 by its own staff in cases dealt with in the past year, it was revealed last night. Ten officers were dismissed for frauds including some where agency staff were "living together as husband and wife" with benefit customers, and in more serious cases a handful of staff were sent to jail.
Eleven cases of major internal fraud were listed by Oliver Heald, Under- Secretary for Social Security, in a written Commons answer to the Labour MP Frank Field. All involved staff from local benefit offices prosecuted between April 1995 and March this year and offences included misappropriating Giro cheques.
The largest amount defrauded was pounds 153,467 at the South Downs district office, resulting in an officer being sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. A Birkenhead district officer was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for defrauding the agency of pounds 15,000 and a Sefton officer given three years for theft in a case involving seven outside accomplices and an amount of pounds 20,495.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments