Benefit Fraud

This page contains information about possible fraudulent activity and what you can do to help prevent it.

Benefit fraud is theft. It is a criminal offence and happens when someone deliberately does not tell the truth so that they can get benefit, or when they knowingly or dishonestly get more benefit than they should.

It does not matter if the fraud means just a few pounds of extra benefit or thousands of pounds over a period of months or years - it is still a criminal offence when someone gives false information or fails to tell us when their circumstances change. Someone who has committed benefit fraud can be prosecuted and if convicted, they will have a criminal record.

Common types of benefit fraud include failing to tell us about a change of circumstances that will affect a claim or giving false information in relation to a benefit claim. This includes people who do not report:

1. that they are now living with a partner;
2. they have started to work, or started to earn money;
3. that they are getting a private or works pension, or any other income;
4. that they have savings or do not report the right amount;
5. they have inherited or come into money;
6. that they are receiving other benefits;
7. that they have changed address, are going abroad or living abroad;
8. that someone has joined or left their household.

Other types of fraud include when people send us false or misleading documents to support their claim or when they contrive with other people such as landlords to get extra benefit.

How to report fraudulent activity

If you know of any person who may be giving false information to the Council in order to obtain either a financial or other advantage, for themselves, or for others, please contact us. You do not need to give your name and address but you do need to give us sufficient detail, together with any evidence you may have, to enable us to carry out a full investigation. Our contact details are at the side of this page, or use our Fraud Hotline.

The Council uses a variety of sanctions to punish fraudulent claimants, including prosecution resulting in a criminal record. Prosecutions are usually published in the local press to deter other fraudsters.

Help us to safeguard your money and to ensure that help goes only to those who are entitled to receive it.

What happens if fraud is found

We will only take action if we find the person has been committing benefit fraud. If there are grounds for legal proceedings, we can consider a sanction. Sanctions are legal measures used to deter people from committing further benefit fraud.

The sanctions that we can use are as follows:

• Prosecution - carrying a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and an unlimited fine;
• Administrative Penalty - an extra amount of money (30% of the overpayment of benefit caused by the offence) that must be paid as well as paying back the overpayment;
• Formal Caution - given as an alternative to prosecution in less serious cases, but only when someone admits the offence and shows regret for their actions.

In each case where fraud has been proved, the person will have to pay back any benefit that they should not have received.

Fraud Hotline

Call our Fraud Hotline number on Hinckley (01455) 255683 or email us at investigations@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk.

Our fraud service is discreet and professional and will keep all calls completely confidential. Outside of office hours, there is a 24 hour answering machine. If you call out of hours, please give as much detail as possible, no matter how trivial you think it may be. The more information we have, the better chance of a successful investigation.