Types of Benefit Fraud

Types of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction Scheme fraud include:

• Failure to declare all income (e.g. earnings and private pensions).
• Failure to declare all savings (e.g. all bank/building society accounts and ISA's).
• If you fail to declare that you own another property or land.
• If you no longer live at the property at which you are claiming.
• If you have failed to declare a partner, or other adults who live with you.

Fraud may also be committed if:

• A person pretends to rent a property that they actually own.
• A person falsifies documents to make it appear that their rent is higher than it actually is.
• The landlord doesn't tell us their tenants have moved out and the landlord still continues to accept the Housing Benefit payments.
• Someone asks an employer to collude in supplying false wage details.

People who make false claims or do not promptly inform the council of changes when they happen, will not only have to repay any overpaid benefit/support, but may also be prosecuted for offences under relevant legislation such as the Social Security Administration Act, or the Fraud Act.