May pledges benefits crackdown
By politics.co.uk staff
Benefit fraudsters could lose their out-of-work benefits for three years under Conservative plans revealed today.
The Tories say their clampdown is targeted at the minority of those who break the rules, rather than stigmatising those who have a real need and are working hard to get a job.
At present fraudulent claimants lose a maximum of 13 weeks’ benefit entitlement, so the Tory proposals would represent a significant hike in the penalty.
“For too long Labour have let benefit cheats play the system, costing the taxpayer millions,” shadow work and pensions secretary Theresa May said.
“It is astounding that since 1997 welfare waste has cost the public £80 every second.
“This is about fairness. While the whole country is tightening its belt it’s scandalous that thousands are managing to defraud the taxpayer out of millions.”
Between 1997/98 and 2008/09 £14 billion has been wasted on benefit fraud. A further £16 billion has been lost because of errors.
Between 2004/05 and 2008/09 nearly 150,000 people were sanctioned for benefit fraud.
