LDRSA council fraud investigator has helped identify dozens of dead people on its housing waiting list and registered for blue badges as they helped save over £1m in the last year.
East Lothian Council appointed a permanent fraud officer last year after a temporary post began recouping funds for the local authority working alongside a National Fraud Initiative (NFI).
Now the council has launched a confidential hotline on its website for people to report any suspected fraud to their investigator as it looks to build on the success so far.
A report that went to the council’s audit and governance committee last month revealed that the fraud officer had investigated 1,500 cases over the last year, resulting in estimated savings of £1,044,470 through NFI work and staff reporting, as well as bringing six council properties back into use.
As a result of investigations 73 people were removed from the council’s housing waiting list after dying or being found to be receiving housing benefit after finding alternative accommodation with NFI estimated savings of £312,659, while 69 blue badges were cancelled because 66 people had died and three had moved away adding another estimated saving of £54,786.
One taxi driver who had been receiving council tax reduction had it removed after failing to declare their income and a council house was recovered after a tenant was found to have bought another property while failing to end the tenancy.
Nearly £200,000 was also added to council tax income or is currently being recovered after investigations by council staff and the NFI into people receiving single person discounts discovered they were not entitled to saw it claimed back and future reductions cancelled.
East Lothian Council said the new hotline for people to report concerns would allow members of the public to report fraud linked to tenancies, housing matters, council tax discount or any council issue through a confidential online form which will be assessed by the counter fraud officer.
A spokesperson said: “Online reporting helps to make highlighting suspected fraud as easy as possible. Evidence, such as photographs or documents, can also be securely uploaded.
“Fraudulent claims and behaviours affect communities by reducing the amount of money available to fund council services or reducing availability of housing for people who are in genuine need.
“Examples include deliberately providing false information when applying for a council house, unlawfully subletting a council property or falsely claiming council tax discount or exemptions.”
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