TURKEY was ranked third for the number of benefit cheats swindling the UK taxpayer out of an estimated £81 million last year.

Spain, Pakistan and Turkey topped the list of so-called ‘fraud’ hotspots, according to government statistics.

Nearly 6,000 fraudsters living in nations as far away as Afghanistan and Zambia have been caught making bogus claims on the British welfare state, new figures show.

Today’s statistics reveal Spain is number one for ex-pats ripping off the system with 548 cases focused on the country in the last 12 months.

Second on the list is Pakistan with 450 investigations followed by Turkey with 220.

Other European destinations where benefit cheats have been probed in the last year includes France, Cyprus, Portugal and Poland.

Whitehall chiefs are so concerned about the huge sums being siphoned off abroad they have set up a dedicated team to monitor cheating by ex-pats and other British citizens living abroad.

Some of those investigated had left Britain after their benefits claims started. Others failed to inform the Department of Work and Pensions before leaving the UK or have stayed abroad too long.

Data released by the Department of Work and Pensions showed that there were 5,719 benefit fraud investigations in 2014 where the suspect was living abroad.

Most of the stolen £81million is made up of £47million in pension credit, where families continue claiming for a relative long after they have died.

Anyone who suspects they know someone that is fraudulently claiming benefits should call the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854440.