Birmingham raids conducted over suspected £4m benefits scam

Raids were conducted across Birmingham, West Midlands Police said

Five men have been arrested after raids targeting a gang suspected of conning the benefits system.

Officers from the Department for Work and Pensions and West Midlands Police took part in warrants across Birmingham at homes of people believed to be part of a £4m Universal Credit scam.

The force said it followed applications made during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Five men, aged between 21 and 53, were arrested during the raids in Birmingham and one address in London.

The force said suspicious applications had been made, with claimants receiving advance payments after suggesting they had families, their jobs were on hold, and they were in immediate hardship.

But West Midlands Police said it believed children were invented and housing payments inflated to secure increased pay-outs.

The investigation is being run by the Department for Work and Pensions' Serious Organised Crime Unit as part of a nationwide fraud investigation codenamed Operation Goliath.

David Rutley, minister for welfare delivery at the Department for Work and Pensions, said: "Those committing these crimes should expect to be caught, and we use the full powers of the law to secure convictions and recoup money stolen."

Jason Grove, from West Midlands Police, added: "Today's executive action is an excellent example of adopting a multi-agency approach."