Benefits Counter Fraud Policy

South Bucks District Council is committed to the delivery of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit to its residents. Benefits are for those who are most financially vulnerable in society and will be assessed and paid within Government guidelines and the relevant legislation.

However, some people will attempt to obtain benefits to which they are not entitled. Where this is done with planning and intent the Council will consider the circumstances of the individual and where appropriate will prosecute or apply an alternative sanction.

These sanctions include:

• formal cautions
• administration penalties
• pursuing overpayment of Housing Benefit through the County Court and Excess Council Tax Benefit through the Magistrates Court

South Bucks District Council will work in partnership with all appropriate agencies such as the Department for Work and Pensions, neighbouring authorities and the Police to achieve these aims.

The council participates in regular national data matching exercises to identify potential frauds and uses these and other investigative methods in the detection of typical frauds such as:

• people who work and claim
• undeclared private pensions
• not declaring when living together with a partner
• undeclared bank, building society or other savings accounts.

We will publicise our successes regularly in our district magazine, website and local media. We have in place a dedicated fraud hotline where residents can tell us in confidence about people who they believe may be committing a fraud. We will investigate every case where we believe this to be so. The hotline number is 01494 732210.

Suspected fraud can also be reported by email fraud@southbucks.gov.uk.

This policy will be implemented in a fair and consistent manner with the benefit of a prior investigation and consideration of all material facts and circumstances.