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  • New fraud and error powers

    Topics:
    • Benefits and pensions, 
    • Benefit fraud, 
    • Welfare changes

    The Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 introduced a number of tougher measures to punish and deter anyone who seeks to commit benefit fraud

    New fraud and error powers

    The new powers will:

    • introduce an administrative penalty of £350 in cases of attempted benefit fraud
    • increase rates of administrative penalties providing for a minimum penalty of £350 up to a maximum penalty of £2,000
    • enhance loss of benefit provisions for those people who have committed fraud and who have either accepted to pay an administrative penalty or been prosecuted via the courts
    • introduce an immediate three year loss of benefit for the most serious/organised fraud cases and repeat offenders

    These measures build on the powers already used by our Single Investigation Service which takes a proactive approach to detecting benefit fraud.

    Related content

    • Administrative Welfare Supplementary Payments
    • Benefit fraud
    • Benefit fraud - the cost and results
    • The Independent Welfare Change Helpline
    • Universal Credit
    • Welfare changes impact assessments
    • Welfare changes overview
    • Welfare Mitigation Review
    • Welfare Mitigation Schemes Statutory Report
    • Welfare Mitigations Review Terms of Reference
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