If you suspect that a customer or landlord is committing benefit fraud you should complete Waveney District Council’s Report of Suspected Fraud form.

It is important that you provide as much information as possible to support the allegation. This guide provides you with details of the types of information that will help us to decide whether an investigation is appropriate.


Working in receipt

Is the customer or their partner claiming benefit whilst working and getting paid?

• Where do they work? (Business name & address)
• What do they do? (type of work)
• Are they self-employed? If so, how do they advertise?
• What is their trade name?
• How long have they worked there?
• What hours/days/shifts do they work?
• How are they paid & how much do they earn?
• If working under a pseudonym, what is the other name?
• What time do they leave home and return home?
• How do they travel to work? eg. own car, public transport, bike or walk. (if they are picked up ask by whom & obtain vehicle details & where they are picked up and dropped off; trade name or logo details on vehicle)
• Is a uniform worn?
• How do they dress when going to work? eg. always wears a red coat when going to work.
• When going to and returning from work, which entrance do they use? i.e. Front/Back/Side
• Contact number for employer?
• Does the employer know that the claimant is on benefits? If yes, collusive employer questions must then be considered.

Living together as husband and wife

Is the customer claiming as a single person but a live-in partner contributes financially?

• Obtain claimant and partner details
• How long have they lived together?
• Does the partner live there all the time? (If not obtain details of time spent there, leaving/arriving times)
• Does either party work? If so obtain working in receipt details
• Does the partner have another address? If so what is it? eg. where is their mail delivered or is their parent's address used as a cover?
• Are there any children in the household? If so ask for their names and ages
• Have any of them been conceived since they started claiming
• Is the partner the father of any of the children?
• Does the partner help financially towards the household budget? If so, how?
• Are they accepted locally as a couple?
• Do they shop together? When/where
• Do they socialise together? When/where
• Do they go on holiday together? When/where
• Who does the school run?
• Does the claimant have satellite television?
• Obtain physical descriptions and car details
• Do they have joint bank accounts, mortgage, loans etc

Undeclared capital or savings

Has the customer or their partner failed to declare capital or savings?

• How much? In what form? e.g. money, property, income, savings
• Where is it? Name of bank/building society & any account numbers.
• Any stocks & shares, or PEP details etc.
• How was it acquired? eg. pools or lottery win, legacy

Income

Has the customer or their partner any income that they have failed to declare?

• What is the source of the income?
• How much do they receive?
• If maintenance who pays it? Are records kept? If via a court order obtain reference number and details of court.

Property

Has the customer or their partner any other property that they have failed to declare?

• What is it - house/shop/holiday home or timeshare?
• Where is it located?
• How was it acquired?
• Do they get any income from it?

Living beyond means

Is the claimant or their partner living beyond their means?

• Does the claimant have expensive possessions?
• What are they? eg. cars, caravans, jewellery etc.
• Does their lifestyle match the income they have coming in? If not, how not?
• Any other details of their lifestyle eg. holidays abroad, wearing designer clothes etc?

False identities & multiple NINo’s

Is the customer using a false or multiple identities?

• How many identities or NINo’s are being used?
• Names and addresses of identities used?
• What Type of ID's used? eg. Irish, English, African
• How did they obtain each identity?
• What nationality is the person?
• How long have they been in the country?
• What languages does the person speak?
• Is anyone else involved with the fraud? ie. friends, family, work colleagues? Please provide names and addresses.
• For what purpose do you think they have a number of ID's?
• Have they got more than one NINo?
• Do they use them for working - if so where?
• Do they use the NINo to obtain benefits?
• Are they applying for a NINo or are they using someone else's NINo?
• Do they know the person whose NINo is being used? Are they related?
• Where is the true owner of the NINo?
• What evidence of ID did they use to obtain the NINo ie. UK passport

Rent incorrect

Has the customer reported the amount they pay for rent incorrectly?

• Is the rent claimed more than actually charged?
• What is the true rent?
• What is the amount claimed?

Contrived tenancy

Is the tenancy contrived?

• Does a relative, partner or friend own the property?
• Where does the relative or partner live?

Non-residence

Is the claimant not living at the address for which rent is claimed?

• Does the claimant have an alternative address?
• When did the property become vacant?
• Does the claimant continue to visit the property for any reason?
• If so why and on what day(s)?

Undeclared non-dependants

Are there any persons over 16 in the household, who have not been declared?

• What is their name(s)?
• Do they work? If so, where?
• What is their income?