Sheffield Council welcomes you to commit benefit fraud

Due to the backlog in proccesing claims Capita (whom work on behalf of Sheffield Council) have announced to staff that they will not be investigating ANY benefit fraud.

Fraud officers have been moved over to help out with the new claims (as have other officers from various departments).

The fraud team was significantly cut during the last budget cuts, which meant that very little fraud was actually investigated anyway, now nothing will even be considered.

So if you fancy a fiddler get on it, Sheffield Council doesnt care!!!

That must be really de-motivating for the staff. Similar has happened in HMRC before, allegations and third party information left on shelves gathering dust whilst staff were moved onto backlogs of day to day processing.

I wonder if they've announced it to the Council? Because I suspect that the Council might tell them that they're wrong, and that they will continue to investigate fraud.

I wonder if they've announced it to the Council? Because I suspect that the Council might tell them that they're wrong, and that they will continue to investigate fraud.

Nothing gets done without authorisation from the council !

Due to the backlog in proccesing claims Capita (whom work on behalf of Sheffield Council) have announced to staff that they will not be investigating ANY benefit fraud.

Any benefit fraud could be worse if someone were to announce this move to the world.

Capita should be dismissed for not fulfilling their obligations, and so should the council............

Capita should be dismissed for not fulfilling their obligations, and so should the council............

We can dismiss the council - or at least, a third of it - in May.

Any benefit fraud could be worse if someone were to announce this move to the world.

Its hardly a big secret, every member of staff has been informed of the move, and thats alot of staff. Its no big secret that the council do not take fraud investigation seriously either previous to this move.

Surely fraud investigations is a requirement under their SCC contract - if not someone at SCC should be fired for not putting it in the contract

Surely fraud investigations is a requirement under their SCC contract

It probably is. But keeping up to date with new applications is probably also in their contract. If their budget does not afford for doing both, which part of the contract should they break?

The Council will be aware of this, they make what they know are unpopular decisions but they can blame Capita.

Any indication of how long this is to last? I wonder if it will become permanent in next years Budget cuts.