DCLG reveals successful counter-fraud fund bids

28 Nov 14

The Department for Communities and Local Government has announced some of the successful bidders from its £16m counter-fraud fund.

They include a project to tackle health tourism in Croydon, which crosschecks data to identify people who are ineligible, thereby reducing pressure on both NHS and council services.

Another successful bid came from a five-borough partnership in south west London, led by Wandsworth, which will establish a joint counter-fraud service, combining expertise and intelligence to crack down on social housing tenancy fraud.

Bromley is leading another initiative involving 38 councils to develop a smart phone app to enable residents to easily alert their council to cases of suspected fraud.

DCLG minister Lord Ahmad, who is leading the department’s counter-fraud push, said: ‘We will not tolerate fraudsters who rip off councils and hardworking taxpayers which is why this government is pumping millions of pounds into helping councils catch these thieves and claw back this money.

‘Our clamp down on money wasted through fraud will help expose this scourge, free up homes for the families that really need them and protect frontline services. Councils must be confident and step forward to promote prosecutions so they may act as a deterrent to others.’

A separate £600,000 will help provide local authorities with strategic support. It includes £100,000 of funding for the Fighting Fraud Locally network to develop a fresh counter-fraud strategy for local government.

CIPFA's Counter Fraud Centre has been established as a centre of excellence on public sector fraud, and is developing a series of training programmes and tools.

  • Vivienne Russell
    Vivienne Russell is managing editor of Public Finance magazine and publicfinance.co.uk

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