HMRC trial of child benefit crackdown wrongly suspected fraud in 46% of cases

Exclusive: Almost half of families flagged as emigrants based on Home Office travel data were still living in UK

Home Office travel records used in a trial of a controversial anti-fraud crackdown that under which thousands of parents lost their child benefit were so flawed that almost half of the families initially flagged as having emigrated were still living in the UK, it has emerged.

The pilot scheme saved HMRC 17m but left 46% of families targeted incorrectly suspected of fraud, a margin of error far in excess of the 1% to 5% scientifically acceptable.