Staggering cost of pension benefit fraud laid bare as conmen in their 90s caught stealing YOUR money
'Scammers are stealing from taxpayers and draining support from those who genuinely need it,' the TaxPayers' Alliance said
'Scammers are stealing from taxpayers and draining support from those who genuinely need it,' the TaxPayers' Alliance said
The staggering cost of pension benefit fraud had been laid bare in new figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Last year, over-65s fraudulently claimed £210million, a sharp increase from £120miliion just five years ago,.
Claimants aged 90 and older were revealed to fraudulently raked in a total of £20million.
The elder fraudsters collected the benefits despite having no legal right to it by living abroad, stashing away secret savings, or working cash-in-hand roles.
Another £100million in overpayments was caused by department errors alone.
Pensioners aged between 70 and 74 were the worst offenders, responsible for £80million in fraud, The Sun revealed.
Fraudsters aged 65-69 and 75-79 each stole an estimated £40million.
Simon Lee, policy analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This £210million fraud explosion is a disgraceful betrayal of honest pensioners.
"Scammers are stealing from taxpayers and draining support from those who genuinely need it.
"Ministers must recover every penny possible and make sure fraudsters face the full force of the law."
Pensioners obscuring assets or savings swindled £77million of the total fraud pot.
Another £67million of the fraud total was from older Britons who were discovered to have a home abroad.
And a further £15million was won by those who had cash jobs or secretly an employee.
The tax-free, means-tested benefit is designed to help those on low incomes with their living costs.
It also serves a top up to an OAP weekly, worth £238 for single people, and £363 per week for couples.
Criminal proceedings against suspected fraudsters plummeted by 94 per cent, staggering new figures revealed.
Other benefits are available once Britons receive pension credit, including council tax reductions, NHS dental care, travel costs, and the warm home discount system.
The DWP said: "We're taking action to fix the broken welfare system we inherited, including extending the Targeted Case Review to Pension Credit – building on £1 billion already saved from incorrect payments.
"We're also launching a dedicated campaign to make sure claimants know their responsibilities, because the vast majority want to do the right thing and we want to make it easy for them to do so."