Profit Fraudsters owing over £1,000 in fraudulently claimed welfare might face two-year driving bans beneath new authorities plans.
Whereas extreme instances of profit fraud can already result in imprisonment, Work and Pensions Minister Alison McGovern has emphasised that this new method can be an extra instrument to implement repayments.
Presently, the Division for Work and Pensions (DWP) seeks to recuperate overpaid advantages by banks or the PAYE system. Nevertheless, the driving licence ban is meant to focus on people who nonetheless refuse to cooperate.
Profit Fraudsters Prices and New Investigative Powers
Newest figures present that welfare fraud accounted for £7.4 billion in overpayments final 12 months, representing 2.8% of whole welfare expenditure. As well as, £1.6 billion (0.6%) was misplaced resulting from claimant errors, and £800 million (0.3%) was overpaid resulting from DWP errors.
The federal government additionally plans to introduce new powers permitting investigators to entry checking account knowledge to extra successfully establish fraudulent claims. Ministers estimate this might save taxpayers £1.5 billion over 5 years. These measures echo comparable proposals launched by the earlier Conservative authorities.
To get a way of what driving professionals consider this determination, the DIA determined to survey its members. Listed here are the outcomes:
Query 1: “Do you agree with the Authorities’s determination to strip profit fraudsters of their driving licence for as much as 2 years?”
1 (Strongly Disagree) – 10 (Strongly Agree) = Common (4.3)
DIA Opinion: Simply over half of the respondents disagreed with the federal government’s determination to strip profit fraudsters of their driving licence. This reveals that driving professionals imagine isn’t one of the best resolution to stopping profit fraud and the plans might must be redrawn.
Query 2: “Do you suppose this may work in deterring individuals from committing profit fraud?”
Sure: 3 (15.0%)
No: 17 (85.0%)
DIA Opinion: The disagreement expressed in Query 1 appears to have been repeated in Query 2. If the Authorities goes forward with these proposals, we predict it gained’t be very talked-about within the Driver Coach world.
Query 3: “You probably have any ideas on the Authorities’s latest determination, please enter them under:”
“Driving and profit fraud has no relation to one another it would encourage extra unlawful use of motor autos and will stop them getting work. In my view there are higher deterants than this.” – Unknown contact mentioned
“Yet one more silly thought by the idiots destroying this Nation. Many reside in villages with no public transport how will they even get a job if they’ll’t get wherever.”- Unknown contact mentioned
“Additional madness from this ineffective and treasonous authorities.
“Taking away licences is taking away capacity to journey to work, subsequently is counterproductive in getting individuals off advantages and again to work!!
Utter stupidity from a authorities unfit to be in energy.” – Unknown contact mentioned
“Much less speak extra motion, they should look extra intently on the motobility scammers as effectively” – Unknown contact mentioned
“Will encourage individuals to drive with out license and insurance coverage.” – Unknown contact mentioned
“As there isn’t a approach of imposing this what’s the level . Till Policing of roads is healthier and the results are extreme they may simply drive illegally” – Unknown contact mentioned:
“Pointless. Would cease individuals from working in any respect” – Unknown contact mentioned
“Of they focused the billionaire fraudsters they might retrieve much more cash” – Unknown contact mentioned
If you need your say on this topic, please add your feedback within the part under. Not a DIA members, you possibly can enroll right here
