Crackdown on false tax claims saves council £500,000
A crackdown on false claims for council tax discounts has saved the London Borough of Hounslow £500,000.
The council ran checks on 28,000 households claiming the 25 per cent single person discount in the borough, and found more than 1,500 cases where people were cheating the system.
Councillor Gerald McGregor, executive member for finance, said, "Every year we receive a number of applications for sole occupier discount - but not all of these are genuine.
"Sometimes this may be an unintentional mistake, and in these cases we will simply correct the bill and ensure the monies owed are paid in full.
"However, those who deliberately mislead the council will be investigated and their discount revoked where necessary.
"Those who mislead the council should understand that they cause higher bills to fall on genuine council tax payers. Under recent legislation we can prosecute council tax cheats in the same way as benefit cheats. By invoking the court system we can ensure that miscreants pay back the money they owe.
"The council is always sympathetic to people who have changes in circumstances. If this effects any discount or benefits they receive then they simply need to contact us as soon as possible. Failure to let us know may result in prosecution."
The council regularly reviews all single person discount cases in the borough, and has done so since the introduction of the council tax. These reviews are often carried out using data matches from a variety of sources.
To confidentially report your suspicions or knowledge of fraud you can contact the council’s fraud team at fraud@hounslow.gov.uk.
September 22, 2009