Following the official launch of the Fraud and Error Reduction Incentive Scheme (FERIS) last November all local authorities now have the opportunity to receive financial rewards if they can demonstrate a percentage reduction in fraud and errors when handling claims and benefits.
By far the biggest problem area lies in Housing Benefit Fraud and Errors, accounting for a £1.45 billion loss in 2013/14. With two thirds of this down to claimant error, some quick wins can be achieved by identifying as many changes in circumstances as possible which reduce housing benefit entitlement across an authority. This involves risk assessing case loads and can be addressed proactively and efficiently with investment in the right technology.
Picture this, you have a system in place which proactively targets claimants who you perceive to be high risk, based on any number of parameters you wish to set. For example, the system can allow you to search for instances where earnings for a claimant have not been updated in a 12 month period or where childcare costs may still be included in a claim where the child has started school.
This type of technology does exist and furthermore it can be used to cross reference data from benefits records alongside other systems to identify potential non-residency or non-reported changes in circumstances. The ability to interface with other systems can also help automate the process of notifications being sent to claimants reminding them of the need to notify the authority of changes.
Ultimately we are talking about a system which can unlock the power of data a council holds enabling the focussed targeting of unreported changes in circumstances based on risk assessing the Benefits caseload. With this technology you can identify high value cases where significant reductions in Housing Benefit entitlement can be achieved, so you can prioritise your staff workload in the right areas to achieve the best results.
For more information on this technology contact Destin Solutions on 01772 842092 or email info@destin.co.uk