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Press Release

LGA responds to figures on cost of fraud to councils

11 May 2011

Responding to figures on fraud in local government, Baroness Margaret Eaton, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:

“Local authorities work hard to clamp down on unscrupulous fraudsters who cheat the taxpayer and take money that could be spent on the genuinely vulnerable. Benefits are there to help the needy – not line the pockets of the greedy.

“While there is no room for complacency, the £2.1bn of fraud in local government is a small proportion of the £21.2bn worth of fraud across the whole of the public sector.

“Thanks to the hard work of councils, £135million worth of fraud was recovered last year. This is money that can be spent on supporting those in genuine need, housing the homeless, caring for the elderly and supporting the infirm.

“The success of these councils demonstrates the importance of them being equipped with the necessary powers to identify and catch those trying to steal from the public purse.

“Local authorities adopt a zero tolerance approach to this sort of abuse. At a time when many councils are struggling to balance their budgets, it is more important than ever that local authorities continue to track down those trying to steal money intended for the sick and the elderly.

“The message from councils to fraudsters is clear – try to con the system and you will end up in court.”



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