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05/04/2007
Benefit fraudsters face lie detector tests
Lie detector tests are to be used in order to clamp down on benefit cheats, Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton has announced.
Voice Risk Analysis technology will be used in a pilot scheme in order to help council staff identify suspect cases.
The government said that the technology is currently used successfully in the insurance industry and analyses changes in a caller's voice giving an indication of the level of risk.
These changes are measured against the caller's "normal" voice which is recorded at the beginning of the phone call, ensuring that nervousness or shyness is not a trigger.
If, during the pilot, benefit staff assess the answers as suspicious then the caller may be asked to provide further evidence to support their claim.
Harrow Council will pilot the system for reviews of housing benefit and council tax benefit claims. The pilot will begin on May 21.
Jobcentre Plus will also test how the technology works with its own systems later in the year.
Mr Hutton said: "The vast majority of people who receive benefits are genuinely entitled to them. However, there is a minority who are intent on stealing money from those who need it most.
"This technology-based process aims to tackle these fraudsters while speeding up claims and improving customer service for the honest majority.
"Our investigators are successfully using sophisticated 21st century techniques to stop criminals. The introduction of this cutting edge technology will be another weapon in the battle against benefit fraud."
However, Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesperson David Laws said that the scheme was "yet another government gimmick". He said: "If the government really wants to reduce the amount of fraud in the system, then it must tackle the complexity of benefits such as tax and pension credits. It must also introduce common sense measures, such as cross-checking other benefit claims, which unbelievably have often been ignored.
"The government's primary focus ought to be on getting the system right rather than introducing lie detector tests which will lead to dramatic headlines but few results."
Benefit fraud cost the UK economy around £0.7 billion in 2005/06, according to government figures.
(KMcA/JM)
Voice Risk Analysis technology will be used in a pilot scheme in order to help council staff identify suspect cases.
The government said that the technology is currently used successfully in the insurance industry and analyses changes in a caller's voice giving an indication of the level of risk.
These changes are measured against the caller's "normal" voice which is recorded at the beginning of the phone call, ensuring that nervousness or shyness is not a trigger.
If, during the pilot, benefit staff assess the answers as suspicious then the caller may be asked to provide further evidence to support their claim.
Harrow Council will pilot the system for reviews of housing benefit and council tax benefit claims. The pilot will begin on May 21.
Jobcentre Plus will also test how the technology works with its own systems later in the year.
Mr Hutton said: "The vast majority of people who receive benefits are genuinely entitled to them. However, there is a minority who are intent on stealing money from those who need it most.
"This technology-based process aims to tackle these fraudsters while speeding up claims and improving customer service for the honest majority.
"Our investigators are successfully using sophisticated 21st century techniques to stop criminals. The introduction of this cutting edge technology will be another weapon in the battle against benefit fraud."
However, Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesperson David Laws said that the scheme was "yet another government gimmick". He said: "If the government really wants to reduce the amount of fraud in the system, then it must tackle the complexity of benefits such as tax and pension credits. It must also introduce common sense measures, such as cross-checking other benefit claims, which unbelievably have often been ignored.
"The government's primary focus ought to be on getting the system right rather than introducing lie detector tests which will lead to dramatic headlines but few results."
Benefit fraud cost the UK economy around £0.7 billion in 2005/06, according to government figures.
(KMcA/JM)
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