Benefit fraud investigation
Benefit fraud is a crime!
False benefit claims costs you the taxpayer millions
of pounds every year.
We're keen to ensure that prompt payment of Housing
Benefit and Council Tax Benefit is made to genuine claimants,
but are determined to stop those who steal from the
system. Fraud has an impact on the amount of Council Tax and Income
Tax you pay and the amount of resources available to the
community.
How you can help us
If you claim benefits you can help us by telling us about any
change in your circumstances so we can ensure you're paid
correctly.
Report possible benefit fraud
If you think someone is claiming benefits they may not be
entitled to, you can report it to us by email, phone or
online.
What are benefit cheats?
Benefit cheats are people who knowingly claim benefits
they're not entitled to, who give false information or don't
tell us when their circumstances change. People who claim
benefit when they're not entitled are committing a criminal
offence.
What is benefit fraud?
Examples of benefit fraud are, people who:
- Work but don't declare it when they claim benefit;
- Claim as a single person but actually live with a partner;
- Claim from an address but don't actually live there; and
- Don't tell us the full amount of income, savings or capital
when they claim benefit.
To prevent fraud we:
- Check all information supplied with a benefit claim;
- May share information given to support a benefit
claim with other agencies;
- Will prosecute benefit cheats and recover any overpayment
of benefit; and
- Will look into all suspicious benefit claims.
Since April 2010 someone convicted of benefit fraud could
be subjected to a 'One Strike' sanction where they could lose
the right to certain benefits they receive.
Further details can be found at Benefit
Fraud One Strike Sanction
Anti fraud strategy
If you'd like to know more about the
measures we're taking against fraud, see our anti fraud
strategy.
Benefit strategy to combat fraud
This document details exactly what
approach we're taking to tackle what is potentially a costly
drain on public resources. This document is intended for
anyone with an interest in safeguarding the security of our
benefit service. Please click on the link below to view the
document.
Anti-fraud organisation
Our investigation officers have access to various anti-fraud
organisations such as:
Local
Authority Investigation Officers Group (LAIOG) -
Approximately 40 local authorities subscribe to LAIOG across
England, Scotland and Wales. The group aims to provide its members
with access to relevant information from Parliamentary sources, the
Department for Work and Pensions, Data Protection and the Benefit
Fraud Inspectorate.
Audit
Commission (NFI) - The Audit Commission currently requires us
to participate in a data matching exercise to assist in the
prevention and detection of fraud usually once every two years. We
are required to provide particular sets of data to the Audit
Commission for matching for each exercise, and these are set out in
the Audit Commission’s guidance, which can be found at Audit
Commission - National Fraud Initiative
National Anti Fraud Network
(NAFN) - The aim of the network is to make available a
national intelligence service to assist in deterring, detecting and
preventing fraud. It also aims to provide a regular source of
intelligence and focal points for local authorities on a wide range
of fraud related matters.