‘Councils are spending millions of pounds on controversial lie-detector tests to catch benefit fraudsters, despite the system being dismissed by one expert as “closer to astrology than science”, according to a report.
Freedom of Information requests revealed that 24 councils had used or were thinking about using “voice risk analysis” (VRA) software, which is designed to spot signs of stress as people talk during phone calls.
In 2008, the Government offered £1.5 million to local authorities to help pay for the VRA system following an initial pilot scheme, but stopped supporting it in 2010.’
Read more: Councils spend millions on controversial 'pseudo-science' lie-detector tests to help catch benefit frauds
