Transparency and open data

Fraud data

Local authorities no longer investigate housing benefit fraud - this service was transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in June 2016.

If, in the course of an investigation of benefits, the DWP find that housing benefit is involved, any overpayment will be recorded on the system as fraud and will be subject to our recovery procedure.

Number of counter fraud staff employed

Internal audit: None over the past three years.
Revenues and benefits:

  • 2011/12: 4.5 (1 manager, 2 investigations officers, 1 visiting officer, balance is clerical support)
  • 2012/13: 3.5 (1 manager, 1 x investigations officer, 1 visiting officer, balance is clerical support)
  • 2013/14: 2.5 (1 investigations officer, 1 visiting officer, balance is clerical support)
  • 2014/15: 2.5 (1 investigations officer, 1 visiting officer, balance is clerical support)
  • 2015/16: 2.5 (1 investigations officer, 1 visiting officer, balance is clerical support) - between 1 April 2015 to 30 June 2016

Amount spent by the authority on counter fraud work

Internal audit: None over the past three years.

Revenues and benefits:

  • 2013/14: £175,103
  • 2014/15: £175,103
  • 2015/16: £43,776

Number of fraud cases investigated

Internal audit:

  • 2011/12: Cases investigated = 2
  • 2012/13 :Cases investigated = 4
  • 2013/14: Cases investigated = 3
  • 2014/15: Cases investigated = 0
  • 2015/16: Cases investigated = 0
  • 2016/17: Cases investigated = 0
  • 2017/18: Cases investigated = 0

Revenues and benefits:

  • 2011/12: Cases investigated = 76
  • 2012/13: Cases investigated = 71
  • 2013/14: Cases investigated = 93
  • 2014/15: Cases investigated = 57
  • 2015/16: Cases investigated = 14

Number of occasions on which fraud was identified

Internal audit:

  • 2011/12: Fraud identified = 1
  • 2012/13: Fraud identified = 1
  • 2013/14: Fraud identified = 0
  • 2014/15: Fraud identified = 0
  • 2015/16: Fraud identified = 0
  • 2016/17: Fraud identified = 0
  • 2017/18: Fraud identified = 0

Revenues and benefits:

  • 2011/12: Fraud identified = 58
  • 2012/13: Fraud identified = 44
  • 2013/14: Fraud identified = 55
  • 2014/15: Fraud identified = 44
  • 2015/16: Fraud identified = 13

Monetary value of the fraud detected and recovered

Internal audit:

  • 2011/12: £55,911.68 detected, £55,411.68 recovered
  • 2012/13: Value unknown
  • 2013/14: None
  • 2014/15: None
  • 2015/16: None
  • 2016/17: None
  • 2017/18: None

Revenues and benefits:

  • 2011/12: Raised £87,418.61, received £73,221.98
  • 2012/13: Raised £195,923.92, received £110,691.11
  • 2013/14: Raised £130,441.13, received £74,725.11
  • 2014/15: Raised £182,500.26, received £87,606.18
  • 2015/16: Raised £66,197.31, received £22,087.66
  • 2016/17: Raised £23,267, received £11,653
  • 2017/18: Raised £16,504, received £2,776 - recovery ongoing

Social housing fraud

Number of occasions we have used the powers under the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud (Power to Require Information)(England) Regulations 2014 or similar powers:

Internal audit: N/A – no social housing
Revenues and benefits: N/A – no social housing