Benefit Fraud

To report a benefit fraud, click on the "Reporting Fraud" link on the left hand side of this page.

Benefit fraud is a criminal offence, punishable by up to 7 years imprisonment. People who commit benefit fraud are taking money from those who are genuinely entitled to it. According to Government estimates, every year approx. £2 billion could be lost to benefit cheats who claim Social Security benefits that they are not entitled to.

Islington Council is responsible for the administration of over 31,000 claims to Housing and Council Tax benefits throughout the borough. The council is fully committed to doing all it reasonably can to protect the public funds that it handles on behalf of the residents of Islington and Central Government.

Our aim is to ensure that the right people get the right benefit payments.

Benefit Fraud Investigation Team

The council employs a team of fraud investigators whose role is to detect and deter benefit fraud and to prevent fraud from entering the Housing and Council Tax Benefit systems. All are professionally trained in investigation methods and conducting formal interviews.

As well as acting upon suspicions of fraud referred to us by council staff and members of the public, our Investigation Officers use data matching information that indicates, for example, when people may have failed to tell us about work, savings, private pensions, etc.

Islington Council’s Benefit Investigation Officers have powers to obtain information about people they suspect are committing benefit fraud from employers, banks, building societies, utility companies and other organisations.

Action we can take

Where benefit fraud offences can be proved, the council will seek to recover the benefit that had been fraudulently obtained. Additionally, the council can apply sanctions, which can include prosecution.

During the financial year ending in March 2008, Islington Council issued 138 sanctions to people they found to be committing benefit fraud. 18 people were successfully prosecuted and, of these, four received jail sentences of between 4 months and 4.1/2 years. Three others received suspended prison sentences. Those not taken to court were ordered to pay financial penalties to the council or received a formal caution.

If you are asked by the council to attend an interview about suspected benefit fraud, click on the "Interview Under Caution" link on the left for information about what will happen at the interview.

For more about how Islington Council is dealing with benefit fraud, you can download the documents below.