BENEFIT fraud inspectors are being sent in to North Wiltshire District Council because it takes too long to process claims.
The council is to undergo an inspection of their benefit payments system because it takes longer than the 36-day target to process benefit claims.
The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate, part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced the council is one of 12 to undergo the so-called short, focused inspections.
Four councils will undergo the full inspections because their recent Comprehensive Performance Assessment rated them as only 'fair' at processing benefit claims.
DWP anti-fraud minister Chris Pond said: "Many councils are improving in paying benefits accurately and on time to the people that need them and that is very encouraging.
"But there are still too many that urgently need to improve their performance." It emerged that £15 billion was being lost nationally each year to benefit fraud and administration errors.
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