Benefit Fraud

We have a duty under law to administer a benefits service to people who qualify in our area. At the same time we are responsible for ensuring that payments are only made to those people who are actually entitled to receive them.

We constantly monitor benefit claims, looking for any suspicious circumstances or information, but no matter how much effort we put in to this, we cannot do it alone - we need your help.

If you suspect that someone is claiming benefits who shouldn't be, you can E-mail us at revenues@wychavon.gov.uk , or call us on 01386 565280 to report your suspicions.  Your information will be treated in confidence.

Please give us as much information as possible about the person you suspect.

Fraud Hotline

By ringing 01386 565280 you can pass on information about people who you think are defrauding the benefits system.

During normal office hours someone will be there to take your call, but there is also an answer phone service available outside of office hours. Your information will be treated in confidence.  Please give us as much information as possible about the person you suspect.

Types of Housing/Council Tax Benefit Fraud

• Claimants who are in receipt of Housing/Council Tax benefit on the basis of entitlement to Job Seekers Allowance/Income Support and are in fact working.
• Failure to declare either savings/capital or the ownership of another property/land elsewhere (for which they may be receiving rent).
• Failure to declare all of their income knowing the non-declaration will increase their benefit award.
• Claimants on Income Support/Job Seekers Allowance failing to declare the presence of a partner who is working, knowing this would preclude their entitlement.
• Failure to declare the presence of other adults in the property in order to preserve or increase entitlement to benefit.
• Owners of properties falsely claiming that they are in fact paying rent for the property and inventing a fictitious landlord. In these circumstances false rent books, Tenancy Agreements are provided.
• Failure to declare that he/she has moved but continues to accept payments of Housing Benefit for the address.
• Claimants who claim for an address at which they are not in fact living. These types of offences may occur with the collusion of the landlord or other tenants.
• Landlords who continue to receive benefit and are aware that the claimant has left the premises. Where the landlord has access to more than one property there is the potential to move tenants around without informing the Local Authority.

Joint Working with the Benefits Agency

We work closely with the Benefits Agency as a lot of allegations involve both Housing/Council Tax Benefit and Social Security benefits.