The Guardian reports that more than 20 councils have used or plan to use controversial lie detector tests to catch fraudulent benefits claimants, even though the government has dropped the technology having found it unreliable.
Responding to freedom of information (FOI) requests, 24 local authorities confirmed they had employed or were considering the use of "voice risk analysis" (VRA) software, which its makers say can pick out fraudulent claimants by listening in on calls and identifying signs of stress.{jcomments on}
Although in 2010 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced it had given up using VRA software, the FOI responses show some councils have been spending millions of pounds on it.
Local authorities have continued to use the system to check whether people are honestly claiming the single person council tax discount, which allows single adults to pay 75% of the amount levied on a family.
Read the full article in the Guardian
