Tag Archives: fraud

Cost of different types of fraud to the UK economy

I just knocked up this little bar chart based on data from this article  by Polly Toynbee

I think it illustrates quite nicely how benefit fraud really isn’t a problem in the grand scheme of things. Given that fewer people commit financial fraud than benefit fraud (the amounts are larger in the former) surely on a pragmatic level, it would be easier for the political parties and the press to go after the tax avoiders and the financial sector fraudsters than the benefit cheats, but then again, they’re the ones who donate to the political classes, aren’t they now, whereas the underclass, well they’re just all a bunch of feral scum.

fraud

How to get away with benefit fraud – become an MP

1 week – time for which David Laws, Yeovil MP and former cabinet minister has been excluded from the commons after paying back #56 000 he wrongly claimed in benefits – although he is being investigated by police

15 months – prison sentence received by Timothy Harris – from Northamptonshire for benefit fraud which cost taxpayers #54000 – in fairness he was a total thug too.

Stats from ‘the eye’