Since 1996 the Audit Commission has run the National Fraud Initiative (NFI), an exercise that matches electronic data within and between public and private sector bodies to prevent and detect fraud. This includes police authorities, local probation boards, fire and rescue authorities as well as local councils and a number of private sector bodies. NFI 2008/09 helped trace £215 million in fraud, error and overpayments. Since the initiative's start in 1996, the programme has helped identify £664 million in fraud or error and the initiative has attracted international recognition.
The use of data for NFI purposes continues to be controlled to ensure compliance with data protection and human rights legislation. A revised Code of data matching practice was published and laid before Parliament on 21 July 2008 and replaces the previous Code published by the Commission in 2006.