Benefit Fraud

Benefit Fraud has an impact on the amount of Council Tax and Income Tax you pay and the amount of resources available to the Community. It costs the country billions of pounds a year, which is money that could be spent on public services.

If you suspect anyone of committing Benefit Fraud in respect of Housing or Council Tax Benefit, please complete the Benefit Fraud on-line Reporting Form , or telephone the Confidential Hotline on 0115 9013996. For all other benefits, please telephone 0800 854 440.

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

These allegations 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 benefit cheats and recover any overpaid benefit.  Anyone who cheats the benefit system will not be allowed to get away with it.

What is Benefit Fraud?

Benefit Fraud is where people claim any benefit including Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit they are not entitled to by giving false information or not telling us when their circumstances change.

People who deliberately claim benefit when they are not entitled to it are committing a criminal offence.

Any person who makes a false statement or produces a false document in order to obtain benefit is committing a criminal offence that is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Any person who fails to notify the Council of a change of circumstances in order to continue to receive benefit is committing a criminal offence that is punishable by up to 7 years in prison.

If you suspect that someone is committing benefit fraud and would like to report this, you can use our on-line reporting form or you can ring the confidential hotline on 0115 9013996.

What types of Benefit Fraud are there?

Some examples of Benefit Fraud are where people:

• work but do not declare this when they claim benefit
• claim as a single person but actually live with a partner
• claim from an address, but do not actually live there
• do not tell us the full amount of income, savings or capital when they claim benefit
• do not report a change of circumstances whilst receiving benefit.

How do I report a Benefit Fraud?

If you suspect someone is committing benefit fraud please let us know. All allegations received are considered and a decision is taken whether to undertake an investigation based upon the information received. The more information that is given the more likely the investigation will result in a positive outcome and this could include:

• Name and address - age
• Description of persons - description and/or registration number of any vehicles
• Employers name and address - start/finish times of employment
• Type of fraud you suspect is taking place
• Any indication of how long you suspect the fraud has been going on

If you wish to give your name and address it may assist the investigator but this is entirely voluntary. You can report a suspected fraud in the following ways:

• use our on-line form

• ring the Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0115 9013996

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

Prosecution Policy