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You are here: Home > Housing health and care > Benefits > Benefit fraud

Beating benefit fraud

This section provides information on benefit fraud and how to report suspected cases.

The Government has estimated that benefit thieves stole around £700 million pounds for the tax year of 2006/07, which is £80 from every family in Britain. Reigate & Banstead fraud team are taking positive action to prevent, detect and investigate benefit fraud in our community.

The Council has been given a number of ways that we can deal with Fraudulent offences. We mainly deal with offences of failure to notify a change of circumstances and making a false statement this is just a couple examples of the types of fraud we look into. If we are able to prove fraud we can decide depending on circumstances on the following outcomes:

• Administrative Penalty
• Formal Caution
• Prosecution

The Benefit Fraud overpayment is also recovered in full.

If you are claiming benefit or thinking of claiming benefit it is important that all the information on the form is correct and that if you have any changes in circumstances that the Benefit Section are informed at the time of the change.

Examples of some of the changes that need to be notified:

• If you or your partner start, or stop getting income support or jobseekers allowance
• If you or your partner start, or stop work or if your wages go up or down
• If someone moves in or out of your home even if it is only temporary
• If your savings go up, or down significantly

Please note this list is not exhaustive if you are unsure if it will affect benefit contact the benefit section of the Council.

Contact the Fraud Stoppers

If you know of someone who is claiming benefit that they may not be entitled to contact the Fraud Stoppers:

  01737 276483
  fraudstoppers@reigate-banstead.gov.uk 

You don't have to leave your details although it helps if you do. Even if you do leave your name everything you tell us will be in the strictest confidence.

To make the process easier please use the  Referral Form (34.5kB)

See the Council's  Counter Fraud & Prosecution Policy for Benefits (205.9kB) for more information.