What is benefit fraud?

Benefit fraud is where people claim Housing and Council Tax Benefit and/or Social Security Benefits when they have no right to claim it.

Types of Housing/Council Tax Benefit Fraud

• Working and claiming - This usually involves claimants who are receiving Housing/Council Tax Benefit on the basis that they are entitled to Job Seekers Allowance/Income Support but are in fact working.
• Non-Disclosure of Property/Capital - Where the claimant does not tell us about their savings or capital or that they own another property or land elsewhere (for which they may receive rent).
• Non-Disclosure of Income - Where the claimant does not tell us about all of their income, knowing that by not telling us the amount of benefit that they get is higher than it should be.
• Non-Disclosure of Partner (Living Together as Man and Wife) - This usually involves a claimant receiving Job Seekers Allowance/Income Support not telling us that they have a partner, knowing that this would mean that they would not be entitled to benefit.
• Non-Declaration of Non-Dependants or Sub-Tenants - Where a claimant does not tell us about other adults living in the property so that they keep, or increase, their entitlement to benefit.
• False Claims by Homeowners - Where the owner of a property falsely claims benefit, stating that they are paying rent for the property and inventing a fictitious landlord. In these circumstances, false rent books and tenancy agreements are provided.
• Failing to Declare a Change of Address - Where the claimant doesn’t tell us that he or she has moved out of a property but they continue to accept payments of Housing Benefit for that address.
• False Address Fraud - Where the claimant is claiming benefit for an address where they do not live. These types of offences may take place with the involvement of the landlord or other tenants.
• Landlord Fraud - Where a landlord continues to receive benefit paid direct to him or herself when they know that the claimant has left the premises