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Benefits and Council Tax

Report benefit fraud

In this section you will find the following information:

We monitor benefit claims and any suspicious circumstances or information. If you suspect someone is committing Housing Benefit or Council Tax fraud, then report it now so that we can investigate.

Housing Benefit fraud

Housing Benefit fraud is dealt with by the Department for Work and Pensions

  • By telephone: contact the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440
    Your call is free and confidential, you do not have to provide your name or address. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm
    If you have speech or hearing problems you can use a text phone service on 0800 328 0512 or Welsh speakers can call on 0800 678 3722
  • Online: www.gov.uk/report-benefit-fraud
  • By post: NBFH, PO Box 224, Preston, PR1 1GP

Council Tax Support fraud

Council Tax Support fraud is dealt with by your Local Council

  • By telephone: contact the council on 01386 565280
    You do not have to give your name or address when you call. The information you provide would be treated in the strictest confidence
  • By post: Council Tax Support Investigations Team, South Worcestershire Revenues and Benefits Shared Services, PO Box 11, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PU
  • By email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Types of fraud

  • Receiving benefit on the basis of being in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance/Income Support and you are in fact working
  • Failure to declare all income, savings/capital or the ownership of another property/land elsewhere, knowing the non-declaration will increase the amount of benefit you are awarded
  • Not declaring the presence of a partner who is working, knowing this would affect your entitlement amount
  • Failure to declare the presence of other adults in the property in order to preserve or increase entitlement to benefit
  • If you own a property and are falsely claiming that you pay rent for the property, inventing a landlord, providing false rent books and tenancy agreements
  • Failure to declare that you have moved, however you continue to accept payments of Housing Benefit for the new address
  • Claiming benefits for an address that you do not live at
  • If you are a landlord who continues to receive Housing Benefit on behalf of a tenant that you are aware no longer lives at the premises. This might be where the landlord has access to more than one property, there is the potential to move tenants around without informing the Local Authority.

Information you'll be asked to provide

Provide as much detail as you can about the person you are reporting:

  • The person's full name
  • The person's address and/or the address at which fraud is suspected
  • Details of anyone else involved
  • The type of fraud you think the person is committing and why you suspect fraud
  • If you suspect the person of working, give the employers name, start and finish times, car registration and any other details known