Another benefits cheat

A drummer in a marching band who claimed he could walk no more than 15 yards and couldn’t even tie his own shoelaces has been exposed as a benefits cheat, after investigators secretly filmed him marching through the streets. Alexander Clarkson was caught marching through Great Harwood in Lancashire in full Scottish pipe band regalia and kilt. At the same time, the 63-year-old was receiving thousands of pounds every year by claiming he could walk only short distances and was always falling over because of his disabilities.

Clarkson, from Blackpool Lancs, admitted cheating the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) out of £17,329 over a six-year period by failing to tell them his disabilities had improved. District judge Jeff Brailsford at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court handed Clarkson a 56-day jail term, suspended for a year. He was told the former soldier turned bricklayer had not worked for 33 years.

Prosecutor Michael Woosnam told how Clarkson lived a double life. On one hand he said he needed crutches to get about and could not travel anywhere alone. As well as a disabled living allowance Clarkson also claimed carer's allowance because he needed help cooking meals. But at the same time he was a dedicated member of the City of Preston Scottish Pipe and Drum band and a member of the Blackpool Male Voice Choir. The court heard that the DWP were tipped off about Clarksons's cheating and sent a surveillance team to follow him. They filmed him at a Remembrance Day ceremony in the Lancashire town of Great Harwood where he was lead drummer marching the streets for 30 minutes. When he was confronted about his actions Clarkson said that he had been mistaken for someone else who had borrowed his car for the day.

The following day he was followed walking to a funeral and then attending the wake that followed. Mr Woosnam said: ‘In interview Clarkson said he had continued to claim benefits because he quite simply did not want to lose the money. He also said he had applied to have the carer's element of his claim upgraded.’

Peter Manning, defending, said that Clarkson did have arthritic knees, asthma and diabetes and had recently had an operation on his groin. ‘My client accepts he should have informed the department about his improved mobility.’ Sentencing Clarkson, the judge said: ‘It is clear from the film I have seen, you got pleasure from being in the band. You clearly marched and bent down to pick up your drum. There seemed to be no hindrance to your mobility. ‘And when you were questioned about it you denied it was you. ‘You have been living a comfortable lifestyle as a result of your benefits allowing you to pay £100 a month TV subscriptions and £80 a month on drink and £120 a month on travel.’

Gaming the system

A report on the British post Office in today's Telegraph is a remarkable example of gaming the system. The Post Office has been set a target meant to ensure that almost all First-Class letters arrive the day after posting. A system has been set up to monitor this. 22,000 anonymous volunteers send a letter by First Class Post and the time of arrival is noted. However, these envelopes contain a microchip that can be felt. Managers at sorting offices then compiled computer spreadsheets of the addresses on the envelopes so that “key customers” could be given priority treatment, ensuring their mail arrived on time. These letters were prioritized them at the expense of letters that you or I send.

Investigators found evidence of this technique being used nationwide from as long ago as 2002. The report said attempts to manipulate the performance figures had become “entrenched” in some areas, and “culturally ingrained” in others. Staff from different parts of the country were found to have swapped notes on how to beat the system or discussed ways of manipulating the market research in Internet chat rooms.

Customers were likely to question whether the figures had been massaged or manipulated to ensure that the maximum bonuses were paid to the hierarchy of Royal Mail.

This story is reminiscent of similar stories about the NHS where targets were met, yet the service deteriorated and it reveals an inherent problem in any target oriented business. The targets often represent a surrogate end-point which in normal circumstances represents what is actually desired. For example: the government required that patients in accident and emergency rooms were dealt with and admitted to a ward within 4 hours of attending a hospital ER. With the resources available this was an impossible outcome, so managers redesignated corridors as 'wards' and trolleys as 'beds'. Thus the target was met without any improvement for the patient. Hence a target-culture is much decried. What is needed are smart-targets that cannot be gamed.

During the second word war in the UK there were two factories competing with each other. One made tank armor and the other anti-tank weapons. Each type of stronger armor was sent down the road to the weapons factory and each new shell was sent up the road to the armor factory. I fear things are a bit like that in government owned industries. Regulators invent rules and businesses invent ways to get round them. The same things happen in finance. It is said that the only people who pay tax are those with sub-standard accountants. It would be better if somebody tried to run a business for the benefit of the customer.