People who commit benefit fraud are costing the taxpayer millions of pounds right across the Northwest of England. Local Authorities across the region are working together to crack down on benefit fraud, with dedicated investigators working on your behalf to make sure that people don't get away with abusing the system for their own benefit.
That is why we have set up a freephone number for you to ring us, in absolute confidence, and give us information you have about people who might be committing benefit fraud.
We ensure that those caught committing fraud are dealt with firmly. We always ask for overpaid benefit to be repaid and on occasions we will add a fixed penalty to the overpayment or issue a caution.
We will also consider prosecuting people in the courts - with the result that those prosecuted have a criminal record.
Prosecutions, penalties and cautions are known as sanctions
We set a sanctions target each year. In 2008/09 we set a target of 145 sanctions for the year and achieved 158. For 2009/10 we maintained our target of 145 sanctions and by the end of November 2009 we had achieved our target.
Report a fraud
Office hours ring 01942 828682
Out of office hours ring 0800 3286340
Typical examples of benefit fraud are:
- People who are working but do not declare this when they claim benefit
- People who claim as single people, but actually live with a partner
- People who claim from an address but do not actually live there
- People who do not tell us the full amount of income, savings, or capital when they claim benefit
- People who, for any reason, do not have any right to claim Housing or Council Tax Benefit
All the information we receive is treated with total confidence.
All these Authorities are working together to stop the fraudsters:
- Wigan
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Blackpool
- Bolton
- Bury
- Manchester
- Oldham
- Rochdale
- Salford
- Stockport
- Tameside
- Trafford
- Warrington
Please help us in our efforts to work together to fight benefit fraud.
