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Counter Fraud Report 2023 to 2024
S43 of the Local Government Transparency Code 2014, requires local authorities to publish information about their counter fraud work.
The attached figures cover the period 1/4/2023 – 31/3/2024.
Number of occasions powers were used under the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud (Power to Require Information) (England) Regulations 2014, or similar powers
- Internal Audit: Not used
- Revenues: Not used
- Benefits: Not used
- Housing: Not used
Total number (absolute and full time equivalent) of employees undertaking investigations and prosecutions of fraud
- Internal Audit: One employee (approx. 0.1 FTE) may be involved in investigations that could relate to fraud and also reviews potential fraud cases from annual National Fraud Initiative (NFI) reports received (Since April 2022, our internal audit service has been provided by the Southern Internal Audit Partnership (SIAP) who would now conduct any specific fraud investigations, as and when required)
- Benefits: Investigations staff were transferred to the DWP SFIS in December 2015. No fraud officer since April 2019.
- Housing: One Fraud Investigation & Enforcement Officer since June 2021 (0.6 FTE)
- Legal Services: No prosecutions in 2023/24
Total number (absolute and full time equivalent) of professionally accredited counter fraud specialists
- Internal Audit: None
- Benefits: None
- Housing: One (0.6 FTE)
Total spent by the authority on the investigation and prosecution of fraud
- Internal Audit: c. £6k (based upon staff time)
- Revenues: c. £10k (rolling review of single person discount entitlement)
- Housing: c. £25k
Total number of fraud cases investigated
- Internal Audit: General review of NFI reports only
- Housing: 306 referrals received
(resulting in 13 properties successfully obtained back, 8 mutual exchange applications refused, 1 sole to joint application refused, 1 right to buy application stopped and 2 succession applications refused)
Energy Payments
From April-November 2022 we were responsible for the distribution of c.£8.5M of Government funding for their Council Tax Energy Rebate scheme and since March 2023 for further payments under their Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) – Alternative Funding and Alternative Fuel Payments schemes, to assist residents with the significant rise in energy prices. Pre- and post-payment assurance work has also been required to be undertaken by Revenues and Internal Audit staff for these schemes and final payments were made in September 2023.
It should be noted that more detailed information on the council’s counter-fraud activities is presented to the Audit & Governance Committee in July, covering the previous financial year. A copy of this report is provided on the Data Transparency web page.