Benefit fraud cost the tax payer around £12.6 million in 2008. If you think someone is committing benefit fraud, you can report them and stop them taking money from the people who need it most.
Ways you can report benefit fraud
There are three ways you can report benefit fraud:
Online
Complete an online form on the Stop Benefit Fraud website:
By telephone
Call the Fraud Hotline on 0800 975 6050. Lines are open between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday. It is free and confidential.
If you have speech or hearing problems, you can use a text phone service on 02890 556 991. Please note, this is not a free-call service.
By post
If you would prefer to make your report in writing, you can send information to:
Benefit Investigation Services
Lesley Exchange 1
24 East Bridge Street
Belfast
BT1 3NR
Lesley Exchange 1
24 East Bridge Street
Belfast
BT1 3NR
Please give us as much information as you can about the person and why you think they are committing benefit fraud. The more information you give the better. The law says that we must have good reason to investigate a person.
Example 1
Joe Bloggs is working and claiming.
Example 2
Joe Bloggs is working and claiming benefit, he leaves the house everyday at about 7.30am in oily overalls and returns at approx 5.30pm. He drives an old red Ford Escort.
We would not be able to investigate example 1 as it does not give us a good reason.
What we do with your report
We look at every report that we get and decide if there is enough information in it to allow us to start an investigation. We need to have a good reason to investigate a person.
If an investigation is approved we will gather as much information as we can from different places, for example utility companies, banks and building societies, to allow us to either prove or disprove the allegation.
If we think there is enough evidence to prove that benefit fraud did take place we will usually interview the person to give them the opportunity to explain what happened.
Following the interview, if we still think that benefit fraud was committed, we will decide what sanction is appropriate. This can be:
- Offering an Administrative Penalty (similar to a fine);
- Offering an Official Caution; or
- Referring the case to the Public Prosecution Service to consider taking court proceedings.
The sanction we choose depends on the circumstances of the case. For more information read our Sanctions Policy.
Remember: Investigations can take some time.We cannot provide you with updates on individual cases as they are confidential.