31 October 2005 - Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI) Inspection Report on Aberdeen City Council
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, David Blunkett, has today published an inspection report by the BFI on Aberdeen City Council’s overpayments activity.
In 2004/05, Aberdeen City Council administered some £49 million in housing benefits, about nine per cent of its gross revenue expenditure. The inspection covered Aberdeen City Council’s administration of overpayments.
The council displayed many strengths including: an excellent quality checking regime; 90 per cent correct classification of overpayments; calculating overpayments correctly, within 14 days; correctly deciding whom overpayments should be recovered from; and a good audit trail.
More could be done to recover large debts from housing associations and improvements were needed in the control of overpayments work and the council’s write-off procedures.
The council is working with BFI's Performance Development Team to improve its action plan to recover overpayments.
BFI is an independent unit within the Department for Work and Pensions that reports directly to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the standard of benefit administration and counter-fraud activity.
James Plaskitt, Benefits Minister, announced the publication of the report in a written ministerial statement.
Notes to Editors
- Each BFI inspection report is considered by the Secretary of State who decides whether any further action is appropriate. The Secretary of State has powers to issue directions to a local authority to secure acceptable or minimum standards in performance.
- Media copies of the BFI inspection report can be obtained from the Department for Work and Pensions Press Office on 020 7238 0766.
- All BFI inspection reports can be found on the BFI website – www.bfi.gov.uk.
Department for Work and Pensions Press enquiries: 020 7238 0766
BFI Press enquiries: 01423 83 2982
Out of Hours: 07659 108 883
Public enquiries: 020 7712 2171
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk