Benefit fraud investigation

East Renfrewshire Council is committed to providing the highest quality of service to all its residents and customers. The Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy outlines the measures taken by the Council to protect itself against malpractice through either fraud or corrupt practice. The Council is committed to fighting fraud and corruption, whether attempted from inside or outside of the authority, in order to protect public funds. Suppliers, contractors, employees, Members and service users are expected to act with integrity and without intention to commit fraud or corruption against the Council. Any investigative activity required will be conducted without regard to any person’s relationship to this organisation, or to their position or length of service.

Fraud occurs where a person unlawfully obtains money or other property belonging to another person or organisation by knowingly giving false information or omitting to declare information. Corruption involves the offering and acceptance of a reward for doing something or perhaps not doing something.

If you want to report a person who is employed by the Council and who you think is committing fraud or is corrupt, please contact Internal Audit on their confidential reporting telephone line 0141 577 8670 or write to: -

Chief Auditors
FREEPOST
RLXL-ZGRE-ZGRU
Eastwood Park
Rouken Glen Road
Giffnock
Glasgow
G46 6UG or use the form below:

Benefit Fraud

If you think that someone has made a dishonest claim for Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit please let us know. Don't let them steal from the system! Why should you pay for their lifestyle?

You can use our online form to report a benefit fraudster

Typical examples of benefit fraud are:

People who work but do not declare this when they claim benefit.
People who claim as a single person but actually live with a partner.
People who claim from an address but do not 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 Benefit or Council Tax benefit.

The more information you can provide, the better our investigations will be. This means it is more likely we will be able to determine if an act of fraud has been carried out.

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

We are committed to ensuring the maximum amount of Housing and Council Tax Benefit is claimed by customers in East Renfrewshire but we also have a duty to ensure that benefit is not paid for fraudulent claims.

To report instances involving benefit fraud, you can phone the confidential reporting hotline on 0800 0130729 or write to the

Counter Fraud Officer
FREEPOST
NAT20705
Glasgow
G78 1BR
Email: benefits@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I report benefit fraud?
A:
If you suspect that someone is committing benefit fraud, you can report it in the following ways:

Confidential free reporting line: call 0800 0130729 between 9.00am and 6.00pm
On-line: use our online form at our "Benefit fraud investigation" webpage
By post: write to Counter Fraud Officer, FREEPOST NAT20705, Glasgow, G78 1BR

Alternatively, you can report benefit fraud online at www.targetingbenefitfraud.gov.uk or by calling the free and confidential National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440.