20 October 2004 - DWP Minister Chris Pond works with Dutch counterparts to crack down on benefit fraud
Britain and Holland are working together to crack down on fraudsters who claim benefits in both countries illegally.
The two countries will be swapping information on people on benefits who may be claiming in both countries or claiming in one country while living in the other.
This will make it easier to recover benefits that have been fraudulently paid to people in each country.
Closer ties between the two countries have been drawn up in a memorandum of understanding signed by the British and Dutch governments.
Work and Pensions Minister Chris Pond said: “We are working with our Dutch counterparts to crack down on benefit fraud. We hope that by working together we will catch out those people who think they can cheat the system by moving between Holland and Britain. This shows the value of working closely with our partners in Europe. Our message to fraudsters is we’re on to you.”
Benefit fraud in Britain costs £2 billion a year, but since 1997 we have reduced fraud by 38 per cent in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance.
Notes for editors
- Chris Pond was speaking today to the management committee of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Netherlands concerning Co-operation and Mutual Assistance in the Administration of Social Security Programmes.
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