What is benefit fraud?

Benefit fraud is where people claim Housing and Council Tax Benefit and/or Social Security Benefits such as Tax Credits, Job Seekers Allowance and Income Support when they have no right to claim them. Many benefits act as a gateway to other benefits which can magnify the extent of the fraud. For example, people who receive Income Support may also be entitled to Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and free prescriptions. To find out more about benefit fraud watch our video.

Types of benefit fraud

The most common types of benefit fraud are:

• Landlords who are receiving benefit payments for tenants who do not live in their property
• A claimant living with an undeclared partner
• A claimant or their partner are claiming Job Seekers Allowance/Income Support but are working
• A claimant has undeclared income such as pensions, savings or rent from a lodger
• When a claimant owns a property but states that they are paying rent for the property, inventing a fictitious landlord and using false rent books and tenancy agreements
• When a person claims benefit in more than one name or at more than one address
• When a person claims benefit from an address where they do not live
• Where a tenancy is created between friends or family where the property would not normally be rented, in order to obtain benefit to which they are not entitled

This list is not exhaustive and if you have concerns about a type of fraud which is not listed please report it. Although you do not have to provide your name or contact details it would be useful if we need to contact you to clarify any information.

Where can I find out more information?

For further information about what we can all do to help prevent benefit fraud visit the anti-fraud pages of the Department for Work and Pensions website. You can also watch our video for more information on benefit fraud.