Benefit fraud information
How do we investigate allegations of benefit fraud?
The team liaise with the fraud investigators based with the Department for Work and Pensions and each investigator utilises many legal powers that enable us to establish whether or not benefit offences have been committed.
We have many methods of investigation, which include (but are not limited to):
- Electronically matching our records with the data held by a range of different organisations including the Department for Work and Pensions, private pension providers, employers and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
- We have the power to carry out surveillance on suspected fraudsters, which can be used to establish where someone may be living or working
- If we have evidence to suspect that fraud may have been committed, we will interview the benefit claimant, their partner or anyone else that we think may have contributed to an offence. These are recorded interviews carried out under caution and in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act
Last updated: 24/05/2023 10:19
