Public Sector

The Government only put in some basic anti-fraud checks on the small Covid loans it was providing to businesses once more than £28 billion had already been paid out, a new report has found.

https://www.cumnockchronicle.com/news/national/19759243.covid-loans-worth-28bn-paid-basic-anti-fraud-measures-started/?ref=twtrec

The National Audit Office has chastised the government for failing to crack down on an estimated £5bn of loan fraud during the pandemic.

https://www.cityam.com/uk-watchdog-slams-government-failures-to-tackle-covid-loan-fraud/

HM Revenue & Customs (HRMC) have admitted it will struggle to recoup the the estimated £5.8bn it paid out incorrectly during the pandemic, through fraudulent claims or departmental mistakes.

https://www.cityam.com/hmrc-to-recoup-less-than-half-of-the-5-8bn-lost-from-pandemic-fraud-and-mistakes/

Major infrastructure projects funded by the government could be vulnerable to fraud worth between £11bn and £60bn, a new study has warned.

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/government/up-to-60bn-of-government-infra-funding-could-be-lost-to-fraud-30-11-2021/

The Wolverhampton councillor accused of fraudulently claiming a £10,000 Covid business grant will have to wait another month to discover his fate.

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2021/11/26/wolverhampton-councillor-on-trial-for-fraud-will-have-to-wait-another-month-for-the-verdict/

THE METROPOLITAN police have questioned a former employee of a SNP MP over alleged fraud.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19744267.alba-councillor-lynne-anderson-questioned-met-police-launch-official-fraud-probe/?ref=twtrec

Taskforce likely to recover minority of support paid in error and fraud as NAO says department needs to increase its debt recovery capacity

https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/hmrc-struggles-to-recover-billions-in-overpaid-covid19-support-and-tax-debts-jim-harra#.YZ0pYynhLSo.twitter

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) could be checking your benefit claim for evidence of fraud.

The DWP revealed benefit fraud had reached record levels in the last financial year and actively looks for a number of key indicators, The Daily Record reports.

Fraudsters taking from Covid support schemes have cost the taxpayer almost £5bn, new analysis has revealed.

https://www.cityam.com/criminal-gangs-stole-350m-from-covid-support-schemes/

A Co Armagh man has been accused of defrauding more than £20,000 from the Education Authority.

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2021/11/03/news/man-38-accused-of-defrauding-more-than-20-000-from-education-authority-2496561/?param=ds441rif44T