Finance and Asset Management Service

BENEFIT FRAUD INVESTIGATION

East Ayrshire Council has a duty by law to administer a benefits service to those within the area who qualify. We also however have a responsibility to ensure that benefit payments are made to only those who actually have an entitlement to receive them.

Benefit fraud is a criminal offence. Money lost to Benefit cheats is money that is supposed to be spent on you and on services provided by the council.

If you are aware of anyone who is a benefit cheat please help us in the detection of this crime by either:

• calling the National Benefits Fraud Hotline on 08003286340 ;
• completing our online Benefit Fraud Reporting Form; or
• writing or calling our office.

The information you give will be treated in the strictest confidence and you do not even have to tell us your name.

What is Benefit fraud?

Benefit fraud is when someone lies to get benefit. This includes people who are:

• not reporting they are now living with a partner;
• not reporting they are receiving other benefits;
• not reporting savings or reporting them but not giving the right amount;
• claiming for children who have left home;
• not reporting they have started work;
• not reporting they have inherited money; and
• not reporting they have changed address.

How can you help?

Tell us as much additional information as you can such as:

• where the person works and what time they normally leave and return to their house;
• description of what they look like; and
• what type of car they drive, colour of car and, if known, registration.

The more information we have the more likely we are to succeed with our investigation.

Thank you for helping us to combat fraud.