The benefit of telling the truth

Benefit claimants and job seekers in Britain could be forced to take lie-detector tests as early as next year after an early review of a pilot scheme exposed 126 benefit cheats in just three months, saving one local authority £110,000.

The Department for Work and Pensions asked Harrow council in London to undertake a year-long pilot of voice analysis technology.

A department spokesman said the early results were positive and "we would like to see this technology rolled out across Britain as soon as possible".