UKinSpain

The British and Spanish authorities have joined forces in the fight to bring benefit fraudsters to justice through new information sharing arrangements.

The UK government is committed to clamp down on fraudsters who cheat the system to obtain taxpayers’ money that should be going to people needier than themselves.

Sharing information, such as deaths of British nationals in Spain, helps the UK to ensure that the pensions and benefits of deceased expatriates are stopped as soon as possible, to avoid large overpayments to benefit recipients that then need to be paid back.

The sharing of information also helps to identify fraudsters who deliberately fail to report the death of a family member to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in order to continue fraudulently receiving the pension or benefit.

One such case involved Michael Higgs and Nancy Rutter who together stole more than £39,000 from the public purse by continuing to draw the benefits of a deceased family member. Data matching between the UK and Spain revealed that Higgs’ father had died in Spain in 2005 yet the couple, who were living in Malaga, had failed to notify the DWP of the death.

Thinking they would never be caught, they continued to fraudulently claim the father’s benefit. After being found guilty of fraud, and as well as having to pay back the money they had stolen, Higgs was given 18 months in prison and Rutter received two sentences of 30 months and 18 months to run concurrently.

A criminal record can easily be avoided by keeping the DWP informed of any change in personal circumstances, including the death of a family member who is in receipt of a pension or benefit. Failing to do so can lead to hefty overpayments that will have to be paid back, and even a prison sentence.

For further details on how you can report someone you suspect of committing benefit fraud, visit www.dwp.gov.uk/benefit-thieves-spain/ or call the DWP’s free and confidential benefit fraud hotline in Spain on 900 55 444 0. The UK and Spain are working together to tackle benefit fraudsters.

UKinSpain

me me

How dispicable of Higgs and Rutter to claim for a dead man.......I will make a point of informing you personally when my 127 year old father in law and his elder sister pass away.

guirijohn

I would find it odd if deaths of British nationals in Spain are not reported to the British embassy as a matter of course.

bxpuser24710519

Do you mean if a British National dies here in Spain and the death is reported to the Spanish system then it will automatically inform the British Embassy ? I would have doubted that but then I have no idea, the details of what happened when my husband died never sunk in and/or have been buried. I do remember talking to an Embassy London person the night he died but how they got my number I cannot remember. Sudden death at home of a new husband is not the best time to remember clearly anything.

lynnxa

when my dad died here in 2011 I had to hand in his passport to the funeral director for them to pass on to the Consulate - I remember seeing something 'official' & signing something - it was certainly a requirement then

scrubbedexpat095

@UKinSpain Why does the UK not do what other European Pension authorities do and send a form once a year that has to be signed by the Mayor or some other sort of official of your town indicating that you are still alive The French and the Danish Authorities do this and I'm pretty sure other northern European countries do the same.

Rosemary

I was not asked for Graham´s passport at all. I did notify DWP, tax office etc and only needed the death certificate for his company pension.

Rosemary

lynnxa

maybe it's because they deal with a lot more expats here than where you live - it was certainly a 'one stop shop' - absolutely everything was done for me

BAT7311

spanish cleaners here living in the 1950-1960s apartments of dead germans brits and irish that were brown bread 1,2,5,10,20 years ago .know at least 5 ..

russian consul has longer hours here then the biritsh one ...