(25 October 2014, 19:55)Steve Wrote: Why do these threads always end up as a rant about benefit fraud ? Are you all so brainwashed by the Daily Mail ?

Have a look at the figures: http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/6348/economics/cost-of-benefit-fraud-v-tax-evasion-in-uk/

In summary:

Benefit Fraud
For 2011/12 (preliminary), it is estimated that 2.0 per cent of total benefit expenditure was overpaid due to fraud and error.
In 2010/11 – benefit fraud was estimated at £3.4bn – 2.2% of total benefit expenditure (£154bn)
(Dept for Work and Pensions)
It is also estimated that 0.9%, or £1.3bn, of total benefit expenditure was underpaid due to error.

Don't forget that the overpayment figures include screwups by the DWP, which they like to include with fraud as it makes them look less incompetent.

Also, in 2010 an estimated £16 billion in benefits and tax credits were unclaimed.

Compare those figures with tax avoidance / evasion / underpayment:

Tax Avoidance and Tax Fraud

By comparison to benefit fraud, lost revenues from tax avoidance and tax evasion seems much greater. Using some measures of tax evasion and tax avoidance.
£70 billion of tax evasion,
£25 billion tax avoidance
£25 billion of unpaid tax