• What we do
• What is housing or council tax benefit fraud?
• Why is stopping benefit fraud important?
• What types of fraud are there?
• Our achievements
• How you can help us in our fight against benefit cheats
• How to report suspected benefit fraud
• Housing benefit and council tax benefit – contact details

The Benefits Investigation Team investigates people suspected of deliberating claiming council tax or housing benefit they are not entitled to and are therefore committing benefit fraud.

We get information about benefit fraud from three main sources:

• Undertaking computer checks and matching computer data held on different computer systems.
  
• Identifying mismatches in the information the customer provides when they make their claim.
  
• Receiving tip off's from the public and Kirklees staff.
  

We work closely with colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions and other agencies for many of our investigations.

We interview people under caution, much in the same way the police do. We may prosecute when we believe we have proven benefit fraud, and we can also issue financial penalties and formal cautions where appropriate in accordance with our sanctions policy. Fraud is committed when a person claiming housing or council tax benefit doesn't tell us their full circumstances when they make a claim for benefit or about a change in their circumstances whilst we are paying them benefit We are required by law to make sure that the benefit system we administer is as secure as possible. We achieve this by making sure customers confirm all the information they put on their benefit forms by supplying original proofs.

By maintaining a robust system of checks and investigation, we help make sure that public funds are given to those people entitled to them. It gives the public reassurance that help is given to those who most need it. There are different types of benefit fraud. These include when the person doesn't tell us:

• The actual income of the household;
  
• The correct amount of savings and capital in the household;
  
• If a partner, or other adults (over 18 years old), live in the same property;
  
• If they own another property or land; or
  
• If they have moved (and continue to accept housing benefit payments).
  

Fraud can also be committed if:

• The person pretends to rent a property which they actually own;
  
• The person pretends to be paying more rent than they actually are; or
  
• The landlord fails to tell us their tenant has moved and still accepts housing benefit payments for them.
  

If you suspect someone has not told us their true circumstances, they could be committing fraud. We continue to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, other agencies and local authorities, to improve the identification of fraudulent housing benefit and council tax benefit claims.

We also have a formal prosecution policy which means we make consistent and fair decisions on when to prosecute. Our policy has helped us to achieve an impressive record of success in court.

During the financial year 2010/2011 we have authorised 158 sanctions (cases where the individual is to be prosecuted, offered a formal caution or an administrative penalty in relation to benefit offences).

In total to date we identified over £657,663.10 in fraudulently claimed housing benefit and council tax benefit. In addition, over £462,420 has been identified in fraudulently claimed benefits administered by the department of Work and Pension through our joint working practices. This totals over £1,119,783

We need you to help us maintain our success in tackling and stopping benefit fraud.

• If someone who is not living at your address asks you if they can have their benefit post delivered to your address, say no.
• If someone asks you to sign a form to say that they earn less than you are paying them, say no.

Do not help people to steal your money!

We need you to tell us if you suspect someone of committing housing or council tax benefit fraud. You can report your suspicions in complete confidence by:

• Completing the online benefit fraud notification form
• Telephoning the fraud hotline on 0800 731 1705 (for Kirklees, Bradford, Calderdale and Wakefield authorities)
• Visiting one of our Customer Service Centres at Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley or Cleckheaton

You do not have to provide your name and address, unless you are willing to volunteer this information.

It will help if you could give us as much information as possible. Some of the things you should try to tell us are:

• Full name(s) of people in household
• Address
• Age(s)
• Description of person(s)
• Description of vehicle, including registration number
• Employer's name and address
• Time the person leaves for work and arrives home
• How long the person(s) has worked for the company

This list is not exhaustive.

Our benefit investigation officers will look into each case and take appropriate action.

If it is found that the person is claiming benefit fraudulently, we will stop their benefit and recover any overpayment from them. We may also take legal action.