Fraud

We have a zero-tolerance policy towards fraud. Every pound lost to it directly impacts vital funds needed for essential services for residents and businesses in Arun.

To strengthen our goal in combatting benefit, council tax and housing fraud, we've instated Oxford Investigation Service - counter fraud specialists. Their team of officers' triage with ours across the district, to create a more effective approach to eradicate fraud and recover lost revenue. 

Change in Circumstances

When claiming discounts or financial support, everyone has a statutory obligation to inform us about any change in our circumstances. Not informing us about a change in circumstances is deemed to be fraudulent. 

Should you find yourself with changed circumstances, please contact us to advise us of the change.

Report fraud for investigation

Our experienced investigation team encourages the public to report fraud. Providing us with information helps protect your money and essential council services.  

To report fraud, use our online form or the contact details below, all reports are confidential. 

Types of fraud you can report direct to us 

Council tax fraud

This applies to anyone who gives false information to avoid paying the correct amount of council tax. Types of council tax fraud include:

  • single person council tax discount fraud - claiming a single person discount when they live with someone else
  • council tax reduction scheme fraud - claiming that their property is unoccupied and unfurnished
  • student council tax discount fraud - not letting us know about change in circumstances

Housing fraud

We are working to stop housing fraud to make sure that homes are fairly given to the people who need them.

Types of housing fraud include:

  • housing tenancy fraud - providing incorrect information on a housing tenancy application
  • subletting - claiming to live at a council property when you live elsewhere
  • abandonment or non-occupation of a property
  • obtaining housing by deception
  • wrongly claimed succession and key selling - living in a property after someone has died without the right to do so, or not letting us know about change in circumstances
  • housing right to buy fraud

National non-domestic rate relief fraud

Commonly known as business rates, falsely claiming mandatory or discretionary rate relief or empty property exemption as well as failure to declare occupancy of a property is deemed to be fraudulent.

Benefit fraud can be reported directly to the government 

Benefit fraud happens when someone dishonestly claims benefits or deliberately does not report a change in their circumstances. 

Examples of benefit fraud include:

  • someone who doesn't declare that they are working when they make a claim
  • a person who does not tell us the full amount of their income, savings, or capital when they make a claim
  • or does not update us about a change of circumstance that may affect an existing claim

You can report suspected benefit fraud online at gov.uk without giving your details - it's completely anonymous. 

You can also phone the National Benefit Fraud hotline on 0800 854440.

National fraud initiative 

We are required by law to protect the public funds we administer. We may share information provided by other parties responsible when auditing, or administering public funds, undertaking a public function, or preventing and detecting fraud.

The Cabinet Office is responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.

We participate in the Cabinet Office's National Fraud Initiative, a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide sets of data to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for matching of each exercise.

The use of data by the Cabinet Office in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 2018. Data matching by the Cabinet Office is subject to a Code of Practice.

View further information on the Cabinet Office's legal powers and the reasons why it matches information. For further information on data matching at this authority please contact internal.audit@arun.gov.uk.

The following privacy notices (known as Fair Processing Notices before 2018) have been published by the council for recent data matching exercises:

Privacy notice 2025
Privacy notice 2024