Voice monitoring to tackle fraud

The Government will provide funding worth £1.5 million to treble the number of local authorities in Britain testing the technology from the current seven to 22.

Ministers believe that around 10,000 fraudsters could be caught using the so-called voice risk analysis (VRA) technology, which picks up any stress in a caller's voice as they answer questions.

Anti-fraud minister James Plaskitt announced the extension of the scheme during a visit to Harrow in north-west London, one of the local authorities which piloted VRA, saving it an estimated £420,000 in benefit claims.

"This positive and encouraging news from the pilots shows that this technology is helping to combating benefit fraud. It is also making it quicker and easier to review claims, especially for those people who are genuinely entitled to benefits," said Mr Plaskitt.

"Harrow council is one of seven local authority pilots nationwide, who have already recognised that this cutting-edge technology can be used to stop criminals and is a unique weapon in the fight against benefit fraud.

"Overall, the huge majority of people who receive benefits are entitled to them. However, there is a minority who will still try to steal money from those people who are most vulnerable. We need to continue to do more to make sure that taxpayers' money always goes to those who need it most."

VRA technology spots changes in a caller's voice, enabling trained operators to decide whether a call is high or low risk and what further action to take.

Initial results from the pilots have shown that the risk-ratings made using VRA have been successful. Of the cases rated as high risk, an estimated 30% identified a change that wouldn't have otherwise been discovered.

Around £13 billion is paid out in housing benefit every year to four million people, with an estimated £150 million claimed fraudulently.