Tag: clampdown

Taxpayer cash protected as crackdown on rogue landlords expands

Hundreds of thousands of people will benefit from an expansion of a trial to tackle poor housing and protect taxpayers’ cash from rogue landlords in England

  • Around 400,000 households receiving housing support to be better protected from rogue landlords thanks to an expanded crackdown scheme.
  • After a successful trial, 41 local authorities across England will now be empowered to better protect their local communities against non-compliance.
  • Comes as local authorities will be able to recover up to 24 months of rent from landlords who flout the rules – double the previous limit thanks to the Renters’ Right Act.

The scheme – successfully trialled in three council areas – protects public money by stopping it being wasted on unsafe housing through Rent Repayment Orders.

These legal orders clamp down on landlords who operate properties without the required licence, ignore improvement notices, or leave their houses in mouldy, dire conditions, and will now be expanded to a further 38 local authorities in England – helping to drive up living standards across the country. The scheme gives councils streamlined access to Universal Credit data which is crucial for completing Rent Repayment Order applications.

One of the trial areas – Camden, North London – is using the data sharing to recover nearly £100,000 in housing support and make a fraud referral, taking taxpayer cash out of the pockets of rogue landlords and back into the public purse.

Following successful results, the scheme – led by the Department for Work and Pensions and supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – is now being expanded. This includes areas such as Enfield, where nearly 30,000 households receiving housing support are set to be better protected for the future.

This comes alongside expanded provisions under the Renters’ Rights Act allowing local authorities to seek Rent Repayment Orders for up to 24 months of rent – double the previous 12-month limit.

Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said: Thanks to this pilot, private renters in receipt of housing support will have stronger protections against landlords who fail to meet public standards.

!No one should live in unsafe or unsuitable housing. We are giving local authorities the tools they need to deter bad housing practice, and ensuring better value for money by upholding safe standards.”

Councillor Richard Olszewksi, Leader of Camden Council, said: “Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. With more than a third of households in Camden privately renting, it’s vital that we ensure landlords are meeting important safety and management standards for residents.

“This pilot helps us take further action against rogue landlords and regain the public money they wrongly pocketed. We’re investing this into more enforcement action and improving private sector housing conditions for everyone across the borough.”

Living in a decent, safe home is fundamental to health and work, and vulnerable renters who live in unsuitable accommodation are limited in their ability to take on work.

Enforcing better standards will drive up living standards through incentivising better practice in the future, as well as protecting taxpayer cash.

Justice for Tenants said: “This pilot has shown that we can deter criminality in the private rented sector and help fund housing enforcement services by making those who break the law shoulder more of the cost.

“This pilot is a massive win for all law-abiding landlords, tenants receiving public funds, the NHS, and every taxpayer in the country.”

Child Benefit action to save £350 million from claimants abroad

Child Benefit will be stripped from tens of thousands of people who have moved abroad in a major clampdown expected to save £350 million

  • A new specialist team is expected to stop over £350 million in Child Benefit fraud and error over the next five years.
  • The move follows a successful pilot where just 15 investigators stopped around £17 million in wrongful payments in under 12 months.
  • Thousands of people who left the UK but carried on claiming Child Benefit have already been removed from the system.

Child Benefit will be stripped from tens of thousands of people who have moved abroad in a major clampdown expected to save £350 million over the next five years.

A new specialist team will use international travel data to track if claimants have gone overseas, so are no longer entitled to the payments.

The move follows a successful pilot which has already removed 2,600 people from the system who had left the UK but continued to claim Child Benefit.

A team of just 15 investigators successfully prevented around £17 million being incorrectly paid out in under 12 months.

The government is rapidly expanding this highly effective unit as part of the Plan for Change. The new team will have over 200 people from next month, sending a clear warning to those trying to scam the system. 

Cabinet Office Minister Georgia Gould said: “This government is putting a stop to people claiming benefits when they aren’t eligible to do so.

“From September, we’ll have ten times as many investigators saving hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayer’s money.

“If you’re claiming benefits you’re not entitled to, your time is up.”

Child Benefit is paid to over 6.9 million families, supporting 11.9 million children. It is one of the most widely accessed forms of benefit in the UK and is administered by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

If a claimant is outside the UK for more than eight weeks, Child Benefit payments may stop unless there are exceptional circumstances. Claimants must inform HMRC if they are outside the UK for this length of time or longer.

The pilot was carried out by the Public Sector Fraud Authority, the Home Office and HMRC. Under the Digital Economy Act, they matched a random sample of 200,000 Child Benefit records with international travel data. 

Where the data suggested a claimant had left the country, specialist investigators from HMRC stepped in to perform their own checks before deciding whether benefits were being claimed incorrectly. The pilot was concluded in under 12 months and delivered savings of over one million pounds per investigator.

Alongside tougher checks, this renewed drive will raise awareness of the rules, recognising that some errors are genuine mistakes. Every case is reviewed by a human investigator and HMRC will reach out directly to families as part of any investigation to resolve matters swiftly.

This crackdown on fraud and error ‘protects hardworking families who play by the rules and ensures every pound of taxpayer money goes where it should’.

Nationwide clampdown on delivery riders working illegally

‘Ramp-up’ of arrests and visits set to take place across the UK targeting migrants working illegally

Enforcement teams are gearing up to launch a nationwide blitz targeting illegal working hotspots, with a focus on the gig economy and migrants working as delivery riders.

Under the Government’s Plan for Change to restore order to the immigration system and tougher enforcement of the rules, Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams will launch a major operation to disrupt this type of criminality.  

Strategic, intel-driven activity will bring together officers across the UK and place an increased focus on migrants suspected of working illegally whilst in taxpayer funded accommodation or receiving financial support. 

The law is clear that asylum seekers are only entitled to this support if they would otherwise be destitute. That is why anyone caught flagrantly abusing the system in this way, as a result of the operation, will face having support discontinued, whether that’s entitlement to accommodation or payments. 

Operational teams will target certain hotspots across the country over a period of intensification, as well as going after organisations who wilfully employ those working illegally, through civil penalty referrals. Any business found to be illegally employing someone could face a fine of up to £60,000 per worker, director disqualifications and potential prison sentences of up to five years.     

The Government has been surging action against illegal working since coming into power one year ago, with 10,031 illegal working visits leading to 7,130 arrests, marking a 48% and 51% rise respectively, compared to the year before (5 July 2023 to 28 June 2024). This marks the first time in a 12-month period where more than 10,000 visits have taken place. 

748 illegal working civil penalty notices were also handed to businesses caught violating immigration rules in the first quarter (January to March) of the year, marking the highest level since 2016 – an 81% increase compared to the same time last year.  

And the Government is tightening the law by making it a legal requirement for all companies, including the gig economy, to check anyone working for them has the legal right to do so. This will end the abuse of flexible working arrangements. The new measures will be introduced through the landmark Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, said: “Illegal working undermines honest business and undercuts local wages – the British public will not stand for it and neither will this government.

“Often those travelling to the UK illegally are sold a lie by the people smuggling gangs that they will be able to live and work freely in this country, when in reality they end up facing squalid living conditions, minimal pay and inhumane working hours.

“We are surging enforcement action against this pull factor, on top of returning 30,000 people with no right to be here and tightening the law through our Plan for Change.

“But there is no single solution to the problem of illegal migration. That’s why we’ve signed landmark agreements with international partners to dismantle gangs and made significant arrests of notorious people smugglers.”

Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime, Eddy Montgomery, said: “Our dedicated Immigration Enforcement officers have been ramping up action to disable illegal working across the board.

“This next step of co-ordinated activity will target those who seek to work illegally in the gig economy and exploit their status in the UK.

“That means if you are found to be working with no legal right to do so, we will bring the full force of powers available to us to disrupt and stop this abuse. There will no place to hide.”

This targeted action is on top of ongoing work across the country to disrupt people flouting the rules across different sectors. 

Earlier this week, during a joint operation with the Metropolitan Police to go after people suspected of working illegally as cash in hand builders, officers targeted anti-social behaviour and illegally modified scooters and e-bikes.

20 Indian nationals were arrested as part of the operation. This included 16 overstayers, one illegal entrant, one port absconder and two small boat arrivals. 

On 18 June, West Midlands teams conducted an operation on Smethwick High Street after receiving intelligence on a major collection point for people suspected of going to work illegally, primarily on construction sites.

The team encountered 73 individuals, arresting 26 suspected immigration offenders (24 Indian nationals, one Nepalese national and one Italian national). This led to the detention of 11 Indian nationals.  

And on 12 June, East of England teams conducted a multi-agency operation with police in Lynn Road, Wisbech, focusing on cash in hand builders using illegally modified e-bikes. They carried out 21 immigration checks which resulted the arrest of three men, including one Syrian, one Chinese and one Brazilian national.

The police went on to seize six mopeds and one car for offences including driving with no insurance, no driving licence and disqualification. 

The crackdown also sits alongside key join up with the delivery industry on tackling illicit account sharing. On Monday, 30 June , the Home Office and Department for Business and Trade met with major delivery firms and pledged to strengthen security checks to tackle illegal working.

Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have committed to increasing the number of daily facial recognition checks riders are required to take to verify their identity.  

Illegal working is linked to exploitation, with teams often encountering squalid living conditions, people receiving little to no pay and inhumane working hours. In the worst instances, these individuals may be victims of modern slavery. 

Immigration Enforcement take a number of steps to spot the signs of individuals who are potentially being exploited and, where appropriate, will refer people to the National Referral Mechanism so they can access support. They also work closely with crucial partners like the Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority, to share insights and strengthen the approach to tackling labour exploitation.

And this new operation is just one part of the government’s action to strengthen UK border security and disable the people smuggling gangs fuelling illegal migration. 

Over the past year, the government says the Prime Minister has been resetting relationships and forging partnerships across Europe and beyond, to ensure a targeted international response in breaking the model behind this vile trade. 

Furthermore, nearly 30,000 people with no right to be in UK have been returned, landmark agreements have been signed with Iraq to dismantle gangs and Italy to take down illicit finance networks and a world-first people smuggling sanctions regime has been launched to ban travel and freeze assets.

Fake reviews and sneaky hidden fees banned ‘once and for all’

Outrageous fake reviews and sneaky hidden fees are now banned once and for all in a major win for consumers right across the UK

  • Fake reviews and hidden fees that cost consumers £2.2bn every year now banned 
  • CMA takes on major new powers to directly enforce new consumer laws 
  • Changes will protect consumers and create a more level playing field for businesses, helping to deliver economic stability as part of the Plan for Change 

Outrageous fake reviews and sneaky hidden fees are now banned once and for all in a major win for consumers right across the UK. These laws will help deliver economic stability as part of the Plan for Change. 

The new measures coming into force today will give the public control over their cash and save them money in the long run.

All mandatory fees, such as admin fees or ticket booking fees, must now be included in the headline price and can’t be deceptively dripped in throughout the checkout process, to dupe customers into paying more than they originally bargained for.  

The ban aims to bring to an end the shock that online shoppers get when they reach the end of their shopping experience only to find a raft of extra fees lumped on top. 

So, for shoppers buying train tickets – they won’t be stung by a hidden booking fee at the end of the checkout. 

When buying a takeaway, the delivery and admin fees must be clear at the start of the process.

The same will apply to all online shopping experiences from concert tickets to trips to the cinema. 

Every year a whopping £2.2 billion is spent by consumers on unavoidable hidden fees, which is why these new rules are coming into force.  

Not only will it create greater transparency, but it will make it far easier for consumers to confidently compare products and services to make sure they are getting the best bang for their buck.  

Justin Madders, Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets, said: “From today consumers can confidently make purchases knowing they are protected against fake reviews and dripped pricing.  

“These changes will give consumers more power and control over their hard-earned cash, as well as help to establish a level playing field by deterring bad actors that undercut compliant businesses, helping to deliver economic stability as part of our Plan for Change.”

Outlandish fake reviews will also be banned today – so customers know what they are buying when they shop online.

The legislation will prevent punters turning up to a restaurant with 5-star reviews only to be served 1-star quality food. Or ordering a product online from a top-rated seller only to find it never turns up, or that when it does, it doesn’t look anything like it did in the picture, despite what previous buyers said. 

Reviews were found to be used by 90% of consumers and contributed to the £217 billion spent in online retail markets in 2023, underscoring the importance of these new consumer protection laws. 

New laws will also help prevent well-intentioned and compliant businesses from being under-cut by those seeking to catch out consumers with stealthy additional prices and fake reviews.  

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: “We will use these new provisions to safeguard people from harmful and unfair treatment, and to foster the level-playing field for the vast majority of businesses who want to do the right thing for their customers.

“We will be tackling the more egregious practices first and working hard to support businesses with compliance, conscious that – especially for small businesses – the burden of following the rules must be proportionate.”

This new consumer protection regime will be implemented by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in a way that is as simple as possible for smaller businesses to comply with.

This government is committed to taking action to reduce unnecessary burdens on business, meaning that should any new rules be required, these will be as clear as possible and only used where necessary and proportionate.

Police Scotland: ‘vast majority complying with Coronavirus measures’

Police Scotland has thanked members of the public and businesses for complying with a new law designed to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Officers were given the power on Friday, 27 March, to fine people who refuse to stay at home and only go outside if they have a ‘reasonable excuse’.

Initial indications show that officers had to issue penalty notices on only 25 occasions across the country.

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said: “We’ve had high visibility patrols in place right across the country since we were given these enforcement powers.

“But it’s clear that the vast majority of people are complying with the measures. They know the message is to stay at home, and by and large, they’re doing that.

“Where our officers have encountered people outside, they’ve been able to engage with them or educate them on why it’s so important to follow the guidance from our public health experts in order to save lives and protect the NHS.

“There will always be people who refuse to comply, but the low number of penalty notices shows they are in the minority and in those cases we’ve had to use enforcement as a last resort. This is a big change to the way people live their lives and they need to adjust to that.

“There were issues with people driving to some outdoor spaces such as parks and we will address this, working with our partners in local authorities where appropriate.

 “We have been given extraordinary powers in an extraordinary situation, powers we would not normally wish to have, but I’d like to thank the public for helping and supporting us. We police with the consent of the communities we serve, so a positive relationship with those communities is of huge importance to us.”

To enforce social distancing, people in Scotland are being asked to stay at home and only go outside if they have a ‘reasonable excuse’. These include shopping for necessary food, household and medical supplies, travelling to and from work where working from home is not an option, and daily exercise that adheres to social distancing guidance.

Full details of the measures are available here.

Police Scotland can issue penalty notices of £30, rising to £60 if not paid within 28 days, where they have reason to believe there has been an offence under the regulations. These penalties are doubled for each repeat offence up to a £960 cap, with no reduction for early payment. Due to the exceptional nature of these powers, the regulations will be reviewed at least every 21 days to ensure they are still necessary.