Angus benefit fraud officers detected more than £375,000 in bogus claims or overpayments last year.
A report to Angus Council’s scrutiny and audit committee has revealed a 43% hike in the amount claimed in cases of proven fraud, non-fraudulent error and overpayments from the period 2011/12 to 2012/13.
Housing benefit and council tax benefit accounted for £256,068 of overpayments of all kinds, with more than half of that going to a claimant found to be living with another person.
Funds administered by the Department for Work and Pensions made up the remaining £120,180, up from £75,997 in 2011/12.
Last financial year there were 47 cases of proven fraud detected by the authority’s Benefit Fraud Team (BFT), with 30 sanctions issued.
The figures also show a significant increase in referrals to the procurator fiscal from 13 to 23.
The council’s service manager for governance, Janine Wilson, said the data shows “another successful year” for the BFT.
She added: “The annual sanction target of 30 has been met, with an increase in the number of cases passed to the procurator fiscal.
“This is despite the fact that the team was operating with reduced staffing resources for much of the year.
“There has been a significant increase in referrals received through the online reporting facility on the council’s website.
“The increase in the value of overpayments identified can be attributed to higher value cases.
“The policy of developing joint working opportunities with colleagues from the DWP Fraud Investigation Service continues to offer mutual advantage to both parties and supports counter fraud activity.”
There were 432 referrals to BFT last year including 33 at the benefits office in Forfar, 32 in Montrose and 14 in Arbroath.
Whistleblowers made reports using online tools, a council fraud hotline and leaflet responses, while information was also passed through national initiatives, liaison staff as well as via housing services.
A total of 425 cases were closed within the year, with more than half deemed low enough risk to be shut without investigation.
In 87 cases it was found there was no fraud committed and in 68 the subject had been inadvertently claiming incorrect levels of benefit.