Report Fraud

• Council Tax Reduction fraud - Someone who is claiming Council Tax Reduction and has not declared they are working, have a partner, own land or property, have savings or claim benefit at one address and lives elsewhere.
  
  
• Blue Badge fraud or misuse - Falsely obtaining a blue badge, misusing a legitimate blue badge, using a badge of a person who has died, using a fake blue badge, using a stolen blue badge or using an expired blue badge.
  
  
• Direct Payments for care / Social Care Payment Fraud - This can be where an individual is receiving payments from the council to provide care for themselves or another person, but some or all the money is not being spent on care.
  
  
• Grants fraud - This can be where grants can be made to individuals or organisations to assist their operations or to adapt homes to accommodate specific needs of the occupants but are not being used for the intended purpose.
  
  
• Business Rates fraud - Business rates fraud is committed when someone deliberately gives false or misleading information so that they can pay lower or no business rates. It could include falsely declaring that a property is no longer in use to qualify for a reduction in rates.
  
  
• Supplier/Contract fraud - This can be where a supplier or contractor knowingly provides goods or products that are inferior or of a cheaper cost to them, when the council has paid for and is expecting goods or products of a higher quality.
  
  
• Bribery or Corruption - Acceptance of money or gifts, favouring contractors or price fixing. Council staff or Councillors taking advantage of their position.
  
  
• Insurance fraud - Any insurance claim that is proved to be false, made against the organisation or the organisation's insurers.
  
  
• Recruitment fraud - Applicants providing false CVs, job histories, qualifications, references, immigration status (i.e., the right to work in the UK) or the use of a false identity to hide criminal convictions or immigration status. 

• Procurement fraud - The procuring of services to the Council which have been done scrupulously, by way of financial favour, inside knowledge, coercion or otherwise.

• Council Tax Discount fraud  - Types of discounts that may be claimed fraudulently include claiming to live in a single-person household to get the single person discount when more than one person lives in the household, pretending to be a student to get the student discount when someone is not a student, claiming a property is unoccupied and unfurnished when it is not or claiming for an exemption that the council tax payer is not entitled to.

• Mandate Fraud - Action Fraud defines mandate fraud as “when someone gets you to change a direct debit, standing order or bank transfer mandate, by purporting to be (trying to appear as) an organisation you make regular payments to, for example a subscription or membership organisation or a supplier to your business”.

• Employee Fraud - Frauds involving council employees that are in the process of being or have been made against the council e.g., theft of council goods/services, ‘time loss’ fraud or submitting false expenses claims.

Fraud is not a victimless crime and can affect us all.

• the monetary cost – In monetary terms, fraud costs the country billions of pounds a year and increases the amount of Income Tax and Council Tax you pay. It also affects the amount of money we have available to spend on providing public services. Fraud means there is less money available to improve and upgrade such things as educational facilities, social care and transport.
• the human cost – There are other not so obvious costs as a consequence of some frauds. For example, a consequence of Blue Badge fraud is that disabled parking spaces, meant for those that need them, are reduced depriving often vulnerable people of the ability to leave their home and conduct their essential business.

Bridgend County Borough Council is required by law to protect the public funds in administers. Our reputation is underpinned by ethical behavior, financial probity and honesty. Any cases of fraud, bribery, corruption or other dishonesty could adversely affect the Council’s reputation and put its ability to achieve its policies and objectives at risk. If we think someone is committing fraud against the council, we will investigate them. If we find evidence to prove that a person is committing fraud, they may be prosecuted via the Magistrates or Crown Courts.

Council Officers may also be subject to disciplinary proceedings. Councillors may also be referred to the Public Ombudsman for Wales.

In any event, we always look to recover any monetary or material losses. In specific circumstances we may also seek to confiscate further monies or assets if they are believed to be the proceeds of crime.

Please note we are unable to provide updates on individual cases due to the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

The council’s Corporate Fraud Team carry out investigations for the prevention and detection of crime.

They investigate fraud and irregularity allegations examples of which are listed above.

Please help us prevent, detect, and deter fraud. If you suspect that someone is committing fraud against the council, you should report them straight away.

There are several ways you can do this confidentially. You don’t have to give your name unless you want to. Please provide as much information as possible to help us investigate.

The information you give will be looked at. If you’ve given enough information, then the person’s claim will be checked. You won’t be told the outcome of the investigations though.

Sometimes no action is taken. It might be that the person has declared a change in their circumstances and their benefit is not affected by it.

If the person is found to have been committing benefit fraud, then action will be taken against them. Action can include removing a person’s benefits and prosecuting them in court.

The following information is a basic guide and is not a substitute for legal advice. Where appropriate, you should seek your own independent legal advice if you are invited to an interview under caution.

​Interviews under caution

​There is no express legal requirement that a person suspected of having committed an offence must be interviewed under caution before any decision as to whether to prosecute is taken. However, we do have a duty to allow a suspect the opportunity to answer the allegations against them and give their own account before a decision to prosecute or take other sanction action is made.  

Why have I been asked to attend an interview under caution?

​If you have been asked to attend an interview under caution it will be because we believe there are grounds to suspect that you have committed a criminal offence. This does not mean that we believe you are guilty and will automatically prosecute you. It means that the evidence we have obtained to date indicates that you may have committed an offence. 

The interview will give you the opportunity to provide an explanation of the events. However, if we find any evidence during the interview that you have committed an offence, you may be prosecuted. 

Can I speak to someone about the letter that I have received from the Council?

​The letter that you have received will provide the contact details of the Investigator. An officer will arrange the interview with you and will book an interpreter if this is needed. The interpreter can explain the process that will be followed but cannot discuss the specifics of the investigation with you. 

Do I have to attend an interview? 

No, but if you do not attend it will not prevent us from taking further action, such as prosecuting you. 

If you do not attend the interview, we will consider the evidence we have and make a decision on further action without the benefit of your own account. 

Who can come to the interview with me?

You can appoint a solicitor or legal advisor yourself or your local Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to help you to do this.

You may bring with you someone who is not connected to the investigation, such as a friend, social worker or a relative.

If the person attending the interview with you is not a solicitor or qualified legal advisor, they are with you for moral support only and will not be able to speak, answer questions for you or provide you with advice.

If you have a severe hearing impairment or if English is not your first language (and you have difficulty in understanding and answering in English), we will arrange for an interpreter to be present - please advise us of your requirements.

We do not have childcare facilities and will not interview you if you have a dependent child with you at the time of the interview.

Who will interview me?

One or two officers will usually interview you. These officers are trained to carry out interviews under caution.

Sometimes we carry out joint investigations with other agencies, such as the Department for Work and Pensions. If there has been a joint investigation in your case, you may be interviewed by an officer from the Council and an officer from the other agency.

What happens at the interview?

Before any questions are asked, the following will be explained:

• the interview is being audio recorded.
• the interview is being conducted in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the relevant Codes of Practice
• you can consult the Codes of Practice
• you will be cautioned and advised of your rights (that you are not under arrest, that you are free to leave the interview at any time and that you may seek legal advice at any time)
• why you have been asked to attend the interview and details of the offence under investigation.

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At the end of the interview, you will be asked to sign an adhesive paper seal, which will be used to seal one of the recording media.

What happens next?

If new information has emerged during the interview, we may need to make further enquiries. Once this has been completed, we will review our investigation and may need to interview you again. If this is the case, we will write to you to tell you what else needs to be done.

When will I know what action will be taken?

This depends on the nature of the case, but we will usually write to you within two months of the interview to tell you our decision. If the decision is likely to take longer than two months, we will write to tell you this and when it is likely that a decision will be made.

What actions can the council take?

Where we believe that there is no evidence of an offence having been committed (or even though there is evidence, we do not feel that it is in the public interest to take further action) we will write to you and tell you that we will not be taking any formal action against you. This does not stop us from recovering any overpayments that may have been made to you.

Where we believe there is sufficient evidence to prosecute, we will consider (in accordance with the Council's Sanction Procedure) what further action will be taken.

The options are as follows:

Financial Penalty

As an alternative to prosecution, we may offer a penalty. This will be 50% of the amount of the excess reduction of Council Tax Reduction which has been overpaid, subject to:

• a minimum amount of £100, and
• a maximum amount of £1000.

If the penalty is accepted, and an agreement for repayment is made, no further action will be taken relating to this offence.

A financial penalty is an alternative to prosecution. If you are offered a financial penalty and refuse it, we retain the right to prosecute you.

Prosecution

Criminal proceedings may be brought against offenders and the case heard in Court when there appears to be sufficient evidence of a criminal offence, and when it is in the public interest to prosecute.