Council tax cheats targeted in £115,000 fraud campaign

COMPUTER databases are to be checked to target council tax fraudsters after figures revealed that scams were costing hard-pressed charge payers 115,000 a year in the Dales.

Hambleton Council is cracking down on swindlers who illegally claim single person discounts on the charge when they are secretly living with someone else.

Starting this week, the authority is to compare its council tax information with other databases to spot cases where more than one adult is living at an address and yet a single occupancy discount is being claimed.

There are more than 39,000 properties in the district – and around 11,000 of them receive single person occupancy discount. Of these, an estimated three per cent are incorrect – costing the council 115,000 in fraudulently paid claims a year.

In the past, the council has carried out an administrative review asking recipients of the discount, which on average is worth 353 a year, to confirm their eligibility.

The Cabinet member responsible for resources and good practice, Ron Kirk, underlined that most council tax discounts are being claimed honestly and legitimately.

“There are times where a household’s circumstances can change and people forget to tell us that they are no longer entitled to the discount when someone else moves in or a member of the household reaches the age of 18,” he added. “But there is a minority who believe they can cheat the system and claim discounts that they know they are not entitled to. This new system of electronic checks will catch them.”

All council tax-payers are under a duty to tell the council within 21 days if they think they should no longer qualify for a discount and the council is obliged to backdate any changes.

This means that householders may have a stinging lump sum to repay. Penalties can be also imposed for failing to supply the information on time.

The council stressed that whilst it is cracking down on incorrect discounts being claimed, it still wants to make sure that everyone gets the discounts they are entitled to.

For information call Hambleton Council on 0845 1211 555; e-mail [email protected]; call into council offices in Northallerton, Stokesley or Easingwold; or go to www.hambleton.gov.uk.