A LOCAL authority is stepping up its efforts to crackdown on benefits fraudsters by using software.

Darlington Borough Council is using increasingly sophisticated technology to help detect the cheats.

Computer technology now allows all council housing benefit offices to cross reference claims information with the Department of Works and Pensions, the Inland Revenue and other local authorities.

The national fraud incentive scheme also allows every council to carry out checks on all local authority employees across the country.

Bill Dixon, the council's cabinet member for community and public protection, said: "I think it's important to keep things in perspective.

"We have something like 10,000 ongoing claims for housing and council tax benefit and the vast majority of people who claim benefits are honest.

"But there is a small minority who will try to cheat and it is public money that they are claiming falsely.

"We will do all that we can to stop the cheats and when they are caught they will pay the penalty."

Twenty people have been caught falsely claiming housing benefit this year and five of those have been successfully prosecuted.

Punishments of fines, community service orders and community rehabilitation orders have been meted out to the offenders.

In total, fraudsters have had to pay back more than £40,000 in overpaid housing benefit and penalties.

Eleven of the 15 remaining have received formal cautions and seven have received administrative penalties, that is repayment of the amount fraudulently claimed in full, plus thirty per cent of the total overpayment.

At any one time, the council's team can have up to 60 ongoing investigations into suspected cases of housing benefit and council tax fraud.

Investigators will often receive anonymous tip-offs about fraudulent claims via the dedicated telephone number (01325) 388517, the shared fraud hotline freephone number 0800 328 6340 or via text phone 0800 328 6341.