Fraud

Housing and Council Tax Benefit Fraud is a criminal offence, which the Council has a duty to investigate and which costs taxpayers money. It is therefore important that the information given when applying for Housing and Council Tax Benefit is correct and complete and that you promptly declare changes in your circumstances.

Gedling Borough Council actively investigates reports of benefit fraud, and takes legal action against offenders.

Typical examples of benefit fraud are:

• People who work but do not declare this when they claim benefit. This includes people who have two or more part time jobs, but only declare one.
• People who claim as a single person but actually live with a partner or have other people in their household.
• People who claim from an address but do not actually live there.
• People who do not tell us about all of their income, savings or capital when they claim benefit. (For example they have a pension from a former employer but they do not declare it, or they have two bank or building society accounts but only declare one).
• People who claim help with rent for a property that they or their partner actually own. (Contrived liability).

These are only some of the types of fraud which may be committed it should be remembered that all types of people may commit fraud.

Any information you give will be treated with the strictest confidence, and you do not have to give your name if you wish to remain anonymous.

So what is Gedling Borough Council doing to stop fraud?

The prevention, detection and investigation of Benefit Fraud in Gedling Council is dealt with by the Investigation Team. They are a dedicated team of professionally trained investigators who undertake investigations into referrals of Benefit Fraud received by the Council.

Sometimes we work closely with other Government Agencies for example the Department of Work and Pensions.

Fraud referrals may be from members of the public, officers and members of the Council, other Government Departments and from the results of National and Local Data Matching.

Gedling Borough Council is committed to protecting public funds through its action against Benefit Fraud. We will prosecute those who commit benefit fraud and recover any overpaid benefit. Anyone who cheats the benefit system will not be allowed to get away with it.

So what can you do about fraud in Gedling?

If you suspect anyone of committing Benefit Fraud in respect of Housing or Council Tax Benefit, please email the fraud section, or telephone the Free and Confidential Hotline on 0115 9013996, alternatively you can write directly to us at:

Gedling Borough Council,  Housing Benefit Section (Investigations), Civic Centre, Arnot Hill Park, Arnold, Nottingham  NG5 6LU

Your emails, letters and telephone calls should include as much information as possible. This will enable us to proceed more effectively with any investigation undertaken.

The type of information we require is listed below

• What type of benefit fraud is being committed
• When you think the fraud started
• The name and address of those committing the fraud
• Description of those committing the fraud (including appearance and vehicles).
• Where you are reporting undeclared work please provide name of employer (including times they go to work and transport used).
• Where you are reporting an undeclared person in the household, please provide the name, age, relationship to claimant, appearance, income, vehicle, times of leaving and how long they have been there.
• Where you are reporting they have left the property, please provide the date they left and a forwarding address. If they are sub-letting please provide information as listed in the undeclared person section above.
• Where you are reporting undeclared income or capital, please give as much information with regard to how long they have received/held the money and where it is from/held.
• Where you are reporting an undeclared property owned by the claimant, please provide full details of the property, when purchased and details of ownership.

For all other benefits, please telephone the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440. The Government wishes to encourage everyone to apply for benefits to which they are entitled whilst at the same time taking action against those who seek to defraud the system.

   The Authority will endeavour to use firm measures to prevent fraud and investigate fraud whilst treating people fairly. In considering whether a fraudulent action has occurred various factors will be taken into consideration so that a clear balance can be established between fraud and genuine error. It must always be remembered that: -

Benefit is for the NEEDY and not the GREEDY.

Please note that even if you refer a fraud to the Council we cannot update you on the progress of the investigation. However all referrals are recorded and receive the appropriate action.