Issue - meetings

The report of the Benefits Operational Manager

Mr S Coop presented the report to Members. He advised Members that annually, over £1.5b was overpaid in Housing Benefit and that the DWP had highlighted that HB cases with self-employed earnings were a source of significant fraud and error. Therefore they had launched an initiative whereby Local Authorities were asked to carry out a review of self-employed cases where entitlement had remained unchanged for at least 12 months. He stated that the review would identify any cases where a change had taken place which meant that entitlement could be removed, reduced or increased. He highlighted that the DWP would support the work by providing appropriate funding and that the reviews needed to be completed by the end of the financial year.

Mr S Coop informed Members that as part of the FERIS initiative, the partnership had previously reviewed its self-employed caseload and as such only 56 cases in total required a review, and they were completed by the end of September.

Councillor R Hadkiss stated that it was a good piece of work and that it was good to see the Partnership was ahead of the game.

RESOLVED THAT:

The content of the report be noted.