Benefit Fraud

The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction schemes are for people on low incomes who genuinely need help with the payment of their Rent and Council Tax bills.

 

At Rushcliffe Borough Council we are committed to combating Benefit Fraud and stopping the cheats. The Council works closely with the Department for Work and Pensions and assists with the investigation of any cases where a government benefit or an award of local council tax reduction has been falsely claimed. This is a test. 

Reporting Fraud

How can I report a Fraud?

You can use the Department for Work and Pensions channels as follows:

• Online - DWP website: National Benefit Fraud Hotline
• By Telephone - National Benefit Fraud Hotline  0800 854 440, or
• By post - NBFH, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 2BP.

The information needed to investigate a suspected fraud includes

• The name and address of the suspect
• What they look like
• What kind of car they drive
• The type of fraud suspected, for example; working, undisclosed capital
• If working, do you know who they work for? What time of day they leave for work
• If there is an undisclosed partner in the household, can you describe what they look like and do you know their name, do you know if they are employed?

More questions might be asked but these are normally the ones that start an investigation.

Will the person I report find out who reported them?

The simple answer to this question is, no.

Any information you provide is treated as confidential and will remain so.  The person you report will not know who's reported them.  Only certain authorised officers at the Council and Department for Work and Pensions are able to see those details.

What happens next?

All allegations are examined and where it can be seen that a fraud is being committed, the case will be thoroughly investigated by the Department for Work and Pensions.

When a fraud is detected, the Council and Department for Work and Pensions are able to prevent any further losses and where necessary, recover any overpayments and punish the offender.