Prevent and report grant scheme fraud

Fraud relating to public funding and grants happens when individuals, organisations (for example, businesses or charities) or organised criminal groups claim public funding or grants that they are not eligible for.

Grants may be awarded by government to public sector organisations, businesses or individuals for a range of purposes. For example, they may be used to support projects which further government’s policy objectives, provide a subsidy for a specific purpose, or fund research. There would normally be statutory provision for the award of the grant and it would be subject to certain conditions, specified in a grant agreement.

Examples of grant scheme fraud

Grant fraud can include a range of scenarios, such as:

• Using false information, or failing to declare information within a grant application, or a grant claim
• Impersonating or falsely claiming to act on behalf of an eligible applicant
• Misrepresenting the status of the funded project in monitoring returns
• Using grant funding for purposes other than those specified/intended/applied
• Claiming grant funding for the same purpose from more than one funding organisation

Report suspected grant scheme fraud

You can report your suspicions directly to us:

Complete our online form to report fraud 

or

• Call the fraud hotline on 01432 260698
• Write to us at: Counter Fraud Department, Corporate Services, Plough Lane Offices, Hereford, HR4 0LE

Your referral will be taken in complete confidence and any personal information provided will be treated as strictly confidential.

Please provide us with as much detail as possible so that we can investigate the matter effectively. Where a referral does not provide us with enough detailed information about the matter, it may not be possible to investigate.

You can report fraud anonymously. However, in most cases it would help us if you leave your contact details, so that we can contact you for further information should we need it.