Healthplan Spain

HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

UK Benefit Fraud Team In Spain To Recover Over £5m Spain News

If you are living here in Spain and are fraudulently claiming benefits back in the UK, beware, as the dedicated fraud prevention team located in Madrid have you in their sights.

A recent report from the UK Department Of Work and Pensions highlights a significant rise in the number fraudulent benefit claims from those who have moved from the UK and are now resident in Spain. In 2013/14 there was a total of £82 million claimed fraudulently in what they are now referring to as "Abroad Fraud". This is almost double the 2010/2011 figure of £44 million.

Over the past five years, the team in Madrid have investigated around 1,250 cases with 769 of these cases being investigated in 2013 alone.

This year three of the biggest benefit fraudsters have already been convicted. Between them they had claimed a total of £217,000, made up of claims for housing benefits, pension credits and income support. All three are now serving prison sentences of between six and 12 months. They will also be ordered to repay every penny that was stolen.

Richard West, Head of DWP Fraud and Error Service, said: "This is a significant achievement for our team in Spain and will hopefully serve as a warning to benefit cheats no matter where they are in the world."

"Fraudsters need to know that our investigators have the powers to track them down and that being overseas is no hiding place. We are determined to crackdown on people who play the system, so that benefits only go to those who really need this help."

So remember, if you are now living in Spain and were previously receiving any form of benefit, now would be a good time to notify the Department of Work and Pensions back in the UK.

There's no doubt that many expats do genuinely forget to notify the authorities when they move to Spain and in a lot of cases this will mean that benefits will continue to be paid. If you do know that you are still being paid benefits and shouldn't be, you will need to notify the DWP and let them know that your circumstances have changed.

Unfortunately, there are a number of people who think that it is acceptable to claim even though they are no longer entitled to any benefits. For them, the net is most definitely closing in!