HUNDREDS of benefit cheats in East Lancashire have been reported to a fraud-busting hotline.

Benefits Agency officials say they are delighted with the response to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline. The hotline, opened in August last year, is manned by operators who pass on information to fraud officers.

It was set up following a number of trial runs across the country - including one for the Blackburn/Burnley area which attracted more than 400 calls from people concerned about the activities of social security cheats.

Since the national line opened, information from 2,827 callers in the agency's Central Lancashire area, which includes most of East Lancashire, has been passed on for investigation.

A Benefits Agency spokesman said: "We are very pleased with the response. The hotline has proved its worth. "It has proved that members of the public feel strongly enough about someone committing fraud to give the line a ring."

Nationally, 231,828 calls have been passed on to fraud officers to follow up since the hotline was launched.

The Benefits Agency estimate that around £3 billion of a total of £90 billion spent each year on social security benefits will be lost through fraud.

That means £2.50 per week - or £130 every year - is taken from the average person's wage packet to pay to people committing benefit fraud.

The agency is hoping that people will report anything suspicious to the hotline to cut the amount lost to fraudsters.

A spokesman said: "Information is the life blood of our activity. The information supplied by the public gives our staff a head start in investigating and stopping benefit fraud.

"Many tip-offs lead to a complex web of fraud. The existence of the hotline will deter people from even thinking about committing benefit fraud."

The hotline is free to most BT and Mercury users and calls can be made in total confidence on 0800 854440 from 8.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.

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