Case studies – Public Sector
The National Fraud Initiative (NFI) helped trace almost £229 million in fraud, error and overpayments in 2010/11 in England. Since the initiative’s start in 1996, the programme has helped detect £939 million across the UK.
To illustrate the types of fraud the NFI can identify, you can learn more from this broad range of case studies.
Payroll case studies
A NFI housing benefit to payroll match resulted in an NHS employee receiving a six month suspended sentence after it was discovered she had fraudulently claimed over £7,000 of benefits.
Immigration case studies
Follow up of an NFI data match found that the council had employed a care assistant since 2006 who had no right to remain or work in the UK. Investigations revealed that staff records contained a letter from the Home Office purporting to grant the assistant indefinite leave to enter and work in the UK.
Trade creditors case studies
The NFI trade creditor matches helped Northumberland County Council recover approximately £150,000 duplicate creditor payments.
Pensions case studies
A NFI match between housing benefit and armed forces pension data helped Peterborough City Council secure a conviction against a man who had fraudulently claimed over £16,000 in housing and council tax benefit.
Housing case studies
A NFI housing tenancy data match led to the conviction of a tenant for unlawfully subletting a council house in Wolverhampton to her adult children, whilst also renting another property in Harrow, North London.
Housing benefit case studies
A NFI housing benefit to licensed taxi driver match enabled Oldham Council to identify a taxi driver who had fraudulently claimed more than £21,000 in housing and council tax benefits.
Council tax case studies
Norwich City carried out a joint working initiative with Norfolk County Council to investigate their NFI council tax to electoral register matches.
Transport: blue badges and concessional travel case studies
A NFI blue badge to deceased persons’ records match resulted in a woman being convicted of fraud and fined £181.