Reporting benefit fraud
We are anxious to ensure that people who are entitled to benefits receive all the help they need. We do, however, consider benefit fraud to be a serious offence against not only the council and the government, but against society as a whole.If you believe that someone is claiming a benefit that they are not entitled to, then you can report this to the council by one of the following methods.
(1) Call our new 24 hour housing benefit and council tax service on 08459 400 440, once your call has been answered please press 3 for benefit enquiries and then 6 for the Report Fraud section.
(2) To speak to a member of our fraud team, call us during office hours on one of the following numbers:
0191 433 3748 (office hours)
0191 477 9954 (out of office hours)
(3) You can write to us at:
The Benefits Investigation Team, Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HH
Please provide as much detail as you can so that the Council can investigate the case.
(4) By email to fraudinvestigations@gateshead.gov.uk
All information received will be held in strict confidence
If you are wishing to report that someone is claiming Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance which they are not entitled to, then you can also report this to the Council or directly to the Department of Works and Pensions, they have a national fraud hotline number which is 0800 854440.
What is Benefit Fraud?
People are committing benefit fraud where they are claiming Housing and or Council Tax Benefit or Social Security benefits where they have no right to entitlement.
Gateshead Council is keen to make prompt payments of Housing and Council Tax benefit to claimants, but it is equally keen to eliminate benefit fraud.
The Council has a Fraud Investigation Team that is responsible for the prevention and investigation of fraudulent claims. The team is aided by all Council employees, who report any suspicious benefit claims.
What happens to those who commit fraud?
If it is proven that a person has committed a benefit fraud then they will be subject to one or more of the following actions against them:
- The recovery of the amount that they have been overpaid.
- The issue of a Formal Caution.
- The charging of an administrative penalty.
- Depending upon the circumstances, prosecution through the courts.
What types of fraud are committed?
Typical examples of benefit fraud are:
- People, who work, but don't declare this when they submit their claim,
- 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 the Council the full amount of income, savings or capital they have when they claim benefit.
- People who for any reason do not have any right to claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax benefit.
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