Benefit Fraud - About us and what we do
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council take benefit fraud very seriously and, as such, have a dedicated Anti-Fraud Team. The Anti-Fraud Team has professionally trained and accredited fraud officers who are committed to preventing and detecting fraud.
We also operate a stringent checking and verification process for the assessment of claims, so that potential fraud can be identified at an early stage.
Benefit Fraud costs everyone money. The government estimates that upto £3billion is lost to Benefit Fraud each year. Approximately £80 of Tax Payer's money goes directly to those who commit fraud, when it should be going to families and individuals who really need it. This money could be used to fund more teachers, and better hospitals.
If we can uncover Fraud and stop people who may be considering committing Fraud, we can make sure that your money is spent effectively on those who need support. This is why, with your help, Basingstoke and Deane BoroughCouncil is committed to stamping out Benefit Fraud.
The Fraud Team investigates referrals from many sources, including:
- The Fraud Hotline;
- The Benefit Assessment team, and other Council Departments;
- The Housing Benefit Matching Service, which compares information held on Housing and Council Tax Benefit IT systems with that held by other government departments, such as the Inland Revenue and Department for Work and Pensions.
- The National Fraud Initiative, which compares our information with other government records including Student Loans, Payroll, Pensions, and National Insurance numbers.
We also undertake proactive exercises to target specific areas of fraud.
Benefit Fraud is not a victimless crime. It affects us all.