The government has warned suspected Covid fraudsters to repay taxpayers' money by December or face a 'hit squad' and fines of up to 100 percent of the amount swindled.
Letters are being sent to individuals believed to have obtained funds under false pretences during the pandemic, giving them until the end of the year to voluntarily return the money. After the deadline, the government has pledged to pursue perpetrators with maximum penalties.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the Labour party conference, 'We want our money back. We are getting that money back, and we are putting it where it belongs, in our communities, in our schools, and in our National Health Service.'
A Labour spokesperson added: 'Time is running out for people who owe money to the public purse. The voluntary repayment scheme ends in December – the message is clear, pay up now or face the Covid fraud hit squad.'
The crackdown comes as Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley called on Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to apologise for dismissing the PPE Medpro scandal as 'not a great scandal' in 2023. PPE Medpro, a company linked to Baroness Michelle Mone, was ordered by the High Court to repay £122 million after breaching a contract to supply surgical gowns.
