Fighting fraud in Arun – help us keep things fair
An Arun District Council tenant was claiming housing benefit and a council tax reduction to an estimated value of £14,955, because they hadn't let us know about their change in circumstances.
The issue was reported to our Revenue and Benefits department, and followed up with a short investigation by the council's counter fraud team. Through passport movement checks, the fraud team discovered the tenant had been living abroad for several months.
When claiming discounts or financial support, everyone has a statutory obligation to inform us about any change in their circumstances. Not informing us is deemed to be fraudulent.
Leader of the Council and Chair of the Policy and Finance Committee, Councillor Martin Lury, said:
“Fraud is not a victimless crime - it takes away resources that should be supporting our residents and communities. We have a zero-tolerance approach because every pound lost to fraud is a pound that cannot be spent on essential services. We're focusing on reclaiming funds obtained fraudulently as well as asking people to report suspected fraud. Together, we can keep things fairer for everyone in Arun.”
If you suspect council fraud, you can report it anonymously: phone us on 01903 737638, visit ReportAFraud, or email fraud@arun.gov.uk.