Types of fraud

• What is benefit fraud?
• What types of fraud are there?
• What do we want to know about?
• How can I report suspected benefit fraud?

We take our responsibilities to identify fraudulent claims very seriously and have a dedicated section to investigate all cases where fraud is suspected.

If you suspect that someone is defrauding the benefit system please contact us on our Benefit Fraud Hotline 01303 853216 (24-hour answer phone service). All calls are treated in absolute confidence. Alternatively you can complete our online form.

What is benefit fraud?

Benefit fraud is where people claim housing and cuncil tax benefit and/or social security benefits but have no right to claim it.

The Council is keen to make prompt payments of housing and council tax benefit to genuine claimants, but we are equally keen to stamp out benefit fraud. There is an active Investigation Team that is responsible for detection and investigation of fraudulent claims. The team is aided by staff in the Council's Revenues and Benefits section who report any suspicious benefit claims. Benefit fraud costs the country about £2 billion, a year which is money that could be spent on public services. This equates to around £80 a year for each household in Great Britain.

What types of fraud are there?

Typical examples of benefit fraud are:

• Failing to declare work to us
• Failing to declare other benefits or occupational pensions
• Claiming benefit for addresses they don't live at
• Claiming benefit for houses they own
• Failing to declare owning other properties or land
• Failing to declare savings and bank accounts
• Failing to declare partners or other people living in the household

What do we want to know about?

Has the person claiming benefit got a partner living with them that they haven't told us about?

• Do you know the partner's name?
• How long have they been there?
• What do they look like?
• Do they work? (If yes see questions below)

Is the person claiming benefit or their partner working and not telling us?

• Where do they work?
• What hours do they do?
• What sort of work is it?
• Do they drive to work or get picked up by someone?
• If they drive what sort of vehicle do they use?
• What is the registration number? Make? Model? Colour?

Is the person claiming benefit still living at the address they are claiming for?

• If not, where are they?
• Do they return just to collect post?
• If so, when?
• Does their landlord know what they are doing? Is the landlord involved?

Does the person claiming benefit have other money coming into the household?

• Where from?
• Do they get other benefits?
• Have they got any savings? In a bank or building society? Which one(s)?
• Do they get a pension from where they used to work? If so, where from?

Does the person actually own the property they are claiming for?

• Do they own other properties or land?

These are the sorts of things we need to know. Don't worry if you can't answer all of the questions. Any information you can give us is useful.

How can I report suspected benefit fraud?

Please complete our online form if you suspect someone is committing fraud against Shepway District Council.

Alternatively you can ring the Benefit Fraud Hotline Service 01303 853216. All calls are treated in absolute confidence. A trained member of staff will take any information you can provide regarding people committing benefit fraud or a 24-hour answer phone service is available for calls out of office hours.

We want to continue to catch and punish benefit fraudsters. We need your help to do this. Remember, benefit fraud is not a victimless crime. It's YOUR money they're stealing.