PEOPLE wrongly claiming benefits from Malvern Hills District Council have cost the council more than £100,000 this year.

In a report to this week's executive committee, head of revenues services Alan Davies revealed the council's benefits section had identified the huge amount of overpayments caused by claimant error. He said the section was working to recover these overpayments.

He reported a busy year for the benefits section, which has been getting to grips with new software.

Rent and tax

The section supports more than 4,000 claimants who depend on help with payment of their rent and council tax.

"Other successes in the section have been in anti-fraud work where, to date, the team has achieved weekly benefit savings of £135,000 against a target of £95,000," explained Mr Davies.

This year, the section has also identified fraud overpayments of £94,000 to people claiming benefits who are ineligible and has worked to recover the cash.

"Sanctions taken include a successful prosecution, a formal caution and three administrative penalties."

The section earns subsidies as incentive to identify benefit fraud and recover the money.