More than £110k recovered from WLDC tax payers

West Lindsey has topped a list of Lincolnshire districts for recovering the most money from people who have continued to receive single person discount on their council tax bill.
West Lindsey District CouncilWest Lindsey District Council
West Lindsey District Council

A total of £111,000 has been recovered from West Lindsey residents who either claimed the discount in error or fraudulently, when they were not entitled.

Following a campaign last year by the Lincolnshire Counter Fraud Partnership to encourage people to come forward if their circumstances had changed, a review was carried out of more than 100,000 households to see if people claiming the 25 per cent single person discount were genuinely living on their own.

Across the county, 2,229 discounts have been taken away, with enforcement action taken against 610 people.

West Lindsey District Council ENGEMN00120130416110416West Lindsey District Council ENGEMN00120130416110416
West Lindsey District Council ENGEMN00120130416110416

Lincolnshire County Council executive director of finance and public protection, Pete Moore said: “This type of exercise is part of our fraud prevention measures which all Lincolnshire councils take very seriously.

“We do investigate and take appropriate action against people claiming council tax discount and exemptions that they are not entitled to.

“Every pound lost this way increases national and local taxation levels and also threatens essential services.”

County-wide £615,000 has been recovered.

Mr Moore said: “[This] is a significant amount of money.”