Liverpool crackdown on single person discount fraud nets £150,000

Liverpool City Council has hailed a crackdown on people fraudulently claiming the single person discount on their tax bill, claiming it has generated at least £150,000 in extra income.

The local authority recently instigated a series of checks, including cross-referencing of credit details, and sent letters to homes suspected of having more than one occupant. This saw more than 600 people cancel their discount.

Liverpool said a further 3,000 cases are under review, with a potential to generate at least £50,000 in extra income.

Cllr Paul Brant, deputy leader of the council, said he made “no apology for taking a hard line on people who try and cheat as they are stealing from other residents and drawing valuable resources away from frontline services such as teaching, social work, street cleansing and protecting the vulnerable”.

Brant added that the council had instructed Liverpool Direct, which runs its revenues and benefits department, to use “every available measure” to make sure the authority gets the monies it is owed.

He said: “In today's tough times we have to drive down costs and be more efficient so we can continue to provide essential services.”