A HARD-hitting advertising campaign and a fraud hotline have been launched to urge people to blow the whistle on benefit cheats in York, Selby and Ryedale.

City of York Council, Selby District Council and Ryedale District Council have joined forces for the £2,000, three-week anti-benefit fraud campaign, which is complementing the Government's current television campaign.

The local hotline number is 0800 174553. With the message, "Benefit fraud, together we can close the book", the York, Selby and Ryedale adverts, which accuse fraudsters of stealing from every family in the area, were launched yesterday and will run until Friday, October 26, on commercial radio station Minster FM. Last year, £650,000 was saved by anti-fraud initiatives in York, Selby and Ryedale.

Alan Hodgson, City of York Council's benefits investigations team leader, said: "Benefit fraud is annually costing the equivalent of £80 for every household in and around York, Ryedale and Selby.

"We have launched this hotline to help people help us to deal with people dishonestly claiming benefits. We urge people to ring the hotline number in complete confidence and name names."

The adverts highlight how benefit fraud also hits funding for schools, hospitals, police and health services. Mr Hodgson added: "We have a duty to the local taxpayer to take tough action against those that seek to claim benefits fraudulently."

Updated: 11:31 Tuesday, October 09, 2001