HOUSING benefit fraudsters will soon be in the sights of a new council officer in the latest town hall crackdown on tenants who abuse the system.

Thousands of pounds a year are lost due to false housing help claims across the borough - and now town hall chiefs are set to stamp out the problem.

Chorley Council heard recently that a bid for government money to appoint a new benefits officer has been successful.

The finance department will receive just over £10,000 to create the temporary post, which will be reviewed after 12 months.

Deputy director of finance Alan Greenwood said: "We put in a bid at Christmas which has been successful. It now enables us to appoint an officer who will visit every new claimant.

"There will be a dual role to this position. It will improve customer service by fast-tracking enquiries and problems.

"It will also give us the opportunity to prevent fraud before it takes place by trying to pick up on it at the first stage."

Council leader John Wilson added: "Every council across the country is being inspected by the Government to see if they have sufficient mechanisms to detect and deter housing benefit fraud.

"It's very important that people who are entitled to benefit receive it, but also to ensure that fraudulent claims are stopped."

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