Dozens of council workers caught doing multiple jobs

Dozens of council workers across Britain have been paid for multiple full-time jobs they held in local authorities at the same time, The i Paper can reveal.

According to Freedom of Information responses and other public records, nine councils have identified at least 37 cases of so-called “polygamous working” since the pandemic.

In one case, a council employee working in London seemingly held up to four local authority jobs at once, although the nature of the roles hasn’t been disclosed.

Prosecutions for fraud regarding polygamous working in at least three councils have been brought, with one known conviction already secured. Several local authorities have blamed the working from home culture.

A document published by York Council, reads: “Increased home and hybrid working seems to have enabled small numbers of workers to apply for and maintain jobs for different employers at the same time.”

The report warned this could lead to the “wrong people occupying positions of trust and responsibility”.

Polygamous working could cost taxpayers millions

Campaigners believe the disclosures of polygamous working in local authorities are just the “tip of the iceberg” and fear the numbers could run into hundreds with millions of pounds of council taxpayers’ money being wasted at a time when bills are rising amid cuts to public services.

Elliot Keck, head of campaigns at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “With councils admitting that remote working rules have opened the door to abuse, taxpayers will be rightly furious that some staff appear to be cashing in on a culture of weak oversight.

“Local authorities must get a grip, tighten up monitoring and ensure those defrauding the public are rooted out and held accountable.”

Conservative shadow minister for education Neil O’Brien said the revelations raised questions about public sector waste.

He said: “It is extraordinary that people are able to do multiple jobs like this and reveals the incredible weakness of performance management in these organisations.

“If people are able to do the job in about a third of their time that raises so many questions about whether there is any serious attempt to improve value for taxpayers money going on.”

It comes as influencers on sites like TikTok and Reddit have been set up advising workers how to juggle employers and fool bosses into believing they are hard at work including using AI.

One staff member at Barnsley Council was prosecuted for being simultaneously employed on two 37-hour-per-week contracts during a period of 10 months.

He was taken to court and pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud that cost taxpayers almost £17,000. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

In data released under a Freedom of Information request, Barnet Council disclosed that 18 cases related to polygamous working have been investigated in the last three years, with three agency staff being prosecuted and several being dismissed.

Barnet Council did not respond to a request for comment.

The latest report by the National Fraud Initiative (NFI), operated out of the Cabinet Office to detect fraud in the private and public sectors, identified 23 cases of polygamous working in a recent pilot of London boroughs and discovered half a million pounds of overpaid salaries over a period of a few months.

A social worker who was employed for the same hours at two local authorities was caught out while on a video call with staff from one council when he was heard to be conducting services for a different local authority.

Social Work News reported that the worker was dismissed from both jobs and told a fitness to practice hearing that “I was working two jobs. However, it must be noted that in Hampshire I was only in my second week and doing training/induction.”

Anti-fraud agencies and contractors aiding the Government have said that councils should watch out for staff turning off their cameras during meetings if working from home, and have bemoaned those using working from home rules to commit fraud.

Croydon Council, which dismissed one worker for polygamous working, warned in a public council agenda that hybrid working allowed for “unscrupulous activities to go unnoticed”.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “Croydon is taking a proactive approach on detecting possible signs of dual working.”

Chris Keesing, chair of the London Boroughs’ Fraud Investigators’ Group, which worked with the NFI, said: “It’s really important to protect the public purse. People who are committing this abuse are taking money away from people in the community who really need it.

“We uncovered half a million pounds worth in a few months in London, so it could be worth millions.”

A Government spokesperson said: “This Government is cracking down on fraud wherever we find it. Our expert counter fraud teams are working with public bodies across the country to help detect and prosecute people for fraudulently holding more than one job.”

“It’s vital that taxpayers’ money is protected, and we will continue to step up our efforts to fight fraud as we rebuild public services and deliver our plan for change.”

Haringey Council did not respond to a request for comment. A Barnsley council spokesperson said: “As a local authority we take any fraudulent behaviour incredibly seriously and responded robustly.”