Benefit fraud (report it)

If you think someone is committing benefit fraud you can report it to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Benefit fraud is a criminal offence which costs you money. Help us to stamp it out!

Use the online form (where your details will remain anonymous).

Report benefit fraud

Other ways to report benefit fraud

By phone

Call the hotline on 0800 854 440. Your call is completely confidential. You do not have to give your name or address. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

If you have speech or hearing problems, you can use a textphone service on 0800 328 0512.

Write to us

Write to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline at:

National Benefit Fraud Hotline
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 2BP

You can provide information anonymously. However, if you do give your name, this will be kept in the strictest confidence.

What is benefit fraud

Benefit fraud is simply the criminal act of knowingly claiming Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support or Social Security benefits. It can result from providing false information or failing to declare changes in circumstance.

It is sometimes considered a victimless crime, yet this could not be further from the truth. Nationally we lose two billion pounds every year to benefit fraud; this money could improve public services instead of lining the pockets of fraudsters.

Types of benefit fraud

Benefit can be claimed fraudulently by:

• failing to declare work - involves claimants receiving Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support but failing to declare their earned income.
• non-disclosure of property, capital or income - the claimant does not tell us about all their income, savings, capital or property so that the amount of benefit they get is higher than it should be
• non-disclosure of partner (living together as man and wife) - the claimant not telling us that they have a partner (who is often working) knowing that this would mean that they would not be entitled to benefit
• non-declaration of non-dependants or sub-tenants - a claimant does not tell us about other adults living in the property to keep or increase their benefit entitlement
• false claims by homeowners - where the property owner falsely claims benefit, stating that they are paying rent for the property. They invent a fictitious landlord and use false rent books and tenancy agreements
• false address or failing to declare a change of address - the claimant is claiming benefit for an address where they do not live
• landlord fraud – where a landlord continues to receive benefits paid directly to themselves when they know that the claimant has left the premises
• fictitious tenancies - where a tenancy is created between friends or family, where the property would not usually be rented, to obtain benefits to which they are not entitled