work rksho shop 01752 305951 kevin.neil@plymouth.gov.uk We will - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Oct 29, 2023 489 likes •700 views

So Socia ial l Housi sing ng Fraud work rksho shop 01752 305951 kevin.neil@plymouth.gov.uk We will finish on time (5.15) Will allow time for discussion We will respect confidentiality Opportunity to network and share ideas

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So Socia ial l Housi sing ng Fraud work rksho shop

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01752 305951 kevin.neil@plymouth.gov.uk

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 We will finish on time (5.15)  Will allow time for discussion  We will respect confidentiality  Opportunity to network and share ideas

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 Curiosity?  Don’t think you have a problem but read

about it recently?

 Want to show that you have got a handle on

fraud?

 Recognise that it is essential that you get up

to speed with preventing fraud?

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 What is it?  Where is it?  How do we find it?  Does it matter?

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 Ho

Housi sing ng Act 1996 S171(Par Part 6)

 Covers applications to the housing register –

e.g. Devon Home Choice

 Ho

Housi sing ng Ac Act 19 1996 96 S2 S214 14 (Part Part 7) 7)

 Covers homeless approaches made to a local

authority

 Penalties limited to £5000 fine

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 Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013

created new offences with a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison

 Made it an offence to sublet – no longer ‘only’ a

tenancy breach

 Created the ability to recover cash from

perpetrators

 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/3/co

ntents

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 False representation  Failure to disclose  Abuse of position  Maximum penalty 10 years in prison

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 Housing applications  Homeless approaches  Tenancies  Mutual exchange  Assignment

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 Awareness  Fraud strategy  Trained staff  Data sharing agreements  Data matching

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 Protecting the public purse  It’s a moral issue  Duty to those on housing waiting lists  It matters how we manage valuable assets

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 National Fraud Authority estimate £900M per

year cost

 Experian estimate 160,000 homes in UK

unlawfully sublet

 50,000 families in temporary accommodation  Can involve other crimes (e.g. drugs crime)

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 Stoke-on-Trent alone has recovered about 60

properties recently last year

 Application fraud, where tenants have obtained

properties by lying about their circumstances

 Tenancy succession fraud, where the legal tenant

dies or moves out but friends or relatives keep the house

 Sub-letting, where a tenant rents out the

council's property to rake in personal profits.

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 35,000 people on DHC register  4,000 homes let each year  60,000 social tenancies in Devon  600 homeless acceptances in average year

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 Housing applications  Homeless approaches  Tenancy offer stage

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 Succession  Assignment  Spotting sub letting

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 £200,000 granted funding  Two year project  Support for landlords and LA’s  Investigation  Training

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 Grant funded from 2013/14  Project now set to run till end of 2015  Slow start but will have all staff in post by

April 2014

 Lessons learned

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 33 referrals to date  5 public  11 LA housing teams  1 HB team  16 Devon Home Choice  22 ongoing investigations  7 NFA  3 Sanctions and/or prosecutions  1 Property recovered

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 Team of three investigators, one in post two

more starting

 Working closely with LA’s and landlords  Building partnerships with landlords  Providing support, best practice, and