Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Housing benefit - WC pays out £50,000 too much.

The housing and council tax benefits team at Wiltshire Council has received a positive report from KPMG, the council's auditors.

Their caseload increased by 11% during 2008-9 and has continued to increase during 2009-10 to 29,900 recipients. KPMG have assessed that of £105,647,876 given out in housing benefit £48,917 was overpaid.

The council says this means that the standard of assessing is extremely high. It also means that there are no financial penalties incurred and government funding will cover the very small percentage of benefit that was overpaid.