Online benefit rats just aren't British

The poor performance of the online 'rat on a cheat' benefit fraud crackdown highlights just how wrong the government is still getting it when it comes to putting some of its services online.

The site was launched with a bang in May 2000, along with a phone hotline for people to rat on neighbours and colleagues they suspected of committing benefit fraud that costs the UK £2bn a year.

The sorry story three years down the line is that just 24 people have been successfully prosecuted as a direct result of the website and that 85 per cent of reports are not even deemed worthy of following up by investigators at the Department for Work and Pensions. The DWP is now taking the line that the site is part of a more successful wider campaign that includes the hotline – though those figures are not believed to be very impressive either.

But to blame the technology is probably unfair. There's no doubt its another government waste of taxpayers money but the real reason for its failure is probably more to do with the British culture. Grassing people up just isn't British – with most people are happy to sit back, smile and turn a blind eye while grumbling among themselves behind the privacy of their net curtains.

The DWP claims 'cheat reports' are increasing along with the number of prosecutions but the number still remains woefully small for the amount of money and effor put in. The web will help revolutionise many government services in the future – this just won't be one of them.