Social Security Benefits: Fraud Danny Alexander To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of (a) fraud and (b) error there have been in the administration of (i) income support, (ii) jobseeker's allowance and (iii) housing benefit in each quarter in the last 10 years, broken down by region. Mr. Plaskitt The information is not available prior to 2001-02 and is not available by quarter. The Department's measurement system for fraud and error does not estimate the number of cases of fraud or error over a given period. It does provide estimates of the average proportion and number of claims that are fraudulent or in error at any one time during a year. Estimates at regional level have been produced for income support and jobseeker's allowance, and published as National Statistics from 2001-02 onwards. These estimates are reproduced in the following tables. These estimates are based on a sampling exercise, and are subject to a degree of statistical variation. At regional level the sample sizes are small, so the uncertainty around the estimates is relatively large. Estimates for Housing Benefit have not been produced at regional level. Estimates at national level of the proportion of cases that are paid incorrectly through fraud and error since 2002-03 can be found at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/fem/fem_apr05_mar06_ new.xls ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Government office region|Fraud |Customer error|Official error|Total | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |2001-02 | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |6,000 |6,000 |8,000 |20,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |18,000|17,000 |21,000 |53,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber|11,000|8,000 |17,000 |35,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |5,000 |8,000 |11,000 |21,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |9,000 |9,000 |19,000 |35,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |5,000 |9,000 |14,000 |26,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |25,000|21,000 |33,000 |73,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |16,000|12,000 |22,000 |45,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |7,000 |13,000 |10,000 |27,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |6,000 |6,000 |8,000 |20,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |18,000|17,000 |21,000 |53,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |2002-03 | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |4,000 |7,000 |9,000 |19,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |17,000|16,000 |28,000 |59,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber|13,000|8,000 |18,000 |38,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |5,000 |8,000 |10,000 |22,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |6,000 |11,000 |16,000 |30,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |5,000 |10,000 |11,000 |24,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |23,000|16,000 |47,000 |81,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |14,000|12,000 |26,000 |48,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |6,000 |10,000 |10,000 |25,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |7,000 |4,000 |11,000 |22,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |13,000|8,000 |12,000 |31 ,000| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |2003-04 | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |5,000 |5,000 |12,000 |21,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |13,000|17,000 |35,000 |60,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber|7,000 |12,000 |20,000 |37,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |3,000 |7,000 |14,000 |22,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |6,000 |13,000 |18,000 |35,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |4,000 |9,000 |15,000 |27,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |13,000|21,000 |43,000 |73,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |15,000|13,000 |25,000 |49,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |4,000 |9,000 |12,000 |24,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |5,000 |6,000 |11,000 |20,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |10,000|12,000 |19,000 |39,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004-05 | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |5,000 |6,000 |12,000 |22,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |10,000|18,000 |29,000 |54,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber|6,000 |8,000 |20,000 |33,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |2,000 |8,000 |13,000 |20,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |6,000 |13,000 |23,000 |41,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |3,000 |10,000 |19,000 |30,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |11,000|19,000 |48,000 |74,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |10,000|15,000 |25,000 |45,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |3,000 |8,000 |15,000 |24,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |5,000 |7,000 |14,000 |25,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |7,000 |14,000 |17,000 |36,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005-06 | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |4,000 |7,000 |7,000 |17,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |6,000 |13,000 |23,000 |44,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber|8,000 |11,000 |14,000 |33,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |1,000 |9,000 |8,000 |17,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |2,000 |12,000 |15,000 |28,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |3,000 |13,000 |9,000 |26,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |13,000|30,000 |36,000 |78,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |7,000 |15,000 |22,000 |44,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |3,000 |12,000 |11,000 |24,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |4,000 |5,000 |12,000 |21,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |5,000 |14,000 |11,000 |29,000 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Government office region |Fraud |Customer error|Official error|Total | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2001-02 | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |3,000 |1,000 |2,000 |6,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |8,000 |2,000 |7,000 |16,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber |7,000 |2,000 |7,000 |15,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |3,000 |1,000 |6,000 |9,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |6,000 |1,000 |5,000 |12,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |3,000 |2,000 |5,000 |9,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |15,000|4,000 |13,000 |31,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |5,000 |1,000 |4,000 |10,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |3,000 |2,000 |3,000 |7,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |2,000 |1,000 |2,000 |5,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |6,000 |1,000 |5,000 |12,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2002-03 | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |2,000 |1,000 |2,000 |5,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |5,000 |3,000 |7,000 |14,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber |3,000 |2,000 |4,000 |8,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |3,000 |1,000 |4,000 |8,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |5,000 |2,000 |4,000 |11,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |3,000 |2,000 |4,000 |9,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |10,000|2,000 |17,000 |28,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |5,000 |2,000 |7,000 |12,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |2,000 |2,000 |5,000 |8,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |2,000 |1,000 |2,000 |5,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |7,000 |1,000 |6,000 |14,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2003-04 | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |3,000 |1,000 |3,000 |6,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |4,000 |4,000 |8,000 |15,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber |2,000 |3,000 |5,000 |10,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |2,000 |2,000 |4,000 |7,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |3,000 |4,000 |5,000 |11,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |1,000 |3,000 |4,000 |8,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |6,000 |6,000 |18,000 |29,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |4,000 |3,000 |8,000 |14,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |1,000 |2,000 |5,000 |8,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |1,000 |2,000 |2,000 |5,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |4,000 |3,000 |6,000 |13,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2004-05 | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |1,000 |1,000 |2,000 |4,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |2,000 |3,000 |4,000 |9,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber |2,000 |2,000 |4,000 |7,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |0 |2,000 |2,000 |4,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |1,000 |3,000 |3,000 |7,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |1,000 |2,000 |4,000 |6,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |4,000 |6,000 |14,000 |22,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |3,000 |3,000 |6,000 |10,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |1,000 |1,000 |2,000 |4,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |1,000 |1,000 |1,000 |3,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |2,000 |3,000 |4,000 |9,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |2005-06 | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North East |0 |1,000 |2,000 |3,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |North West |4,000 |2,000 |5,000 |9,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Yorkshire and the Humber |3,000 |1,000 |3,000 |7,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East Midlands |0 |1,000 |3,000 |4,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |West Midlands |1,000 |3,000 |4,000 |6,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |East |1,000 |1,000 |3,000 |5,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |London |3,000 |2,000 |7,000 |11,000| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South East |1,000 |2,000 |3,000 |6,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |South West |1,000 |1,000 |3,000 |5,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Wales |1,000 |0 |2,000 |3,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Scotland |1,000 |2,000 |2,000 |5,000 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Notes:1. The estimates are of the average number of cases that were incorrect at any point during the year. They are not estimates of the total number of individual cases affected during the year.2. Estimates are of incorrectness, so include both overpayments and underpayments.3. Estimates are rounded to the nearest 1,000. An entry of zero indicates an estimate of less than 500.4. There is some overlap between the fraud and error categories, as it is possible for example for an official to make an error on a case that is already fraudulent. This means that the customer error and official error estimates should not be summed to give an overall error estimate.5. Income support estimates refer only to working age claimants.| | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. MacNeil To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department are taking to tackle benefit fraud by UK nationals abroad. Mr. Plaskitt The Department has in place, and is extending coverage of, a range of measures to address the risks of fraud by UK nationals abroad. These included acquisition of foreign death data, independent certification that overseas customers are still alive, location of DWP representatives overseas and joint collaboration agreements with other countries.