Hounslow is committed to tackling all allegations of fraud in a professional and effective manner. To eradicate fraud we need staff and the public to report their suspicions to us - in confidence.
The Department for Work and Pensions currently spends just under £96 billion a year on benefits for some 30 million people.
Local authorities pay around £12 billion in housing and council tax benefit every year to around 4.5 million people. This is equivalent to £80 a week for every household in the country.
Latest estimates, suggest that around £600 million is being lost each year as a result of housing benefit fraud.
Vision
Our vision is to lead the council towards its ambition to be, and be seen to be, a top London borough in the investigation of benefit fraud.
We welcome scrutiny and aim to achieve excellent reports from internal and external checks and audits that are undertaken, including those by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate [BFI], Internal Audit [IA] and external auditors [KPMG].
Our mission
Our mission is to provide a high quality and professional service to the residents of Hounslow in the prevention and detection of fraud.
We will seek to develop a comprehensive counter fraud strategy to detect and investigate all allegations of fraud that are received. It will also through pro-active work seek to identify potential high risk fraud activity.
We work closely with our linked Benefits Agency fraud sectors to ensure that fraud investigation is progressed efficiently and effectively, by maximising resources and using IT and data systems to combat fraud.
We seek to do this by :
Providing support and training to our staff
Introducing a quality procedure to the work we do
De-mystifying the issues surrounding fraud
Promoting fraud awareness
Working with external agencies in countering fraud
Taking an holistic approach to fraud investigation work
Ensuring staff, managers and the public know how to contact us
Giving professional advice on "securing the benefit gateway" to benefit staff
Our values
As professional investigators, we seek our staff maintain the highest standards in their professional lives.
As staff and managers we all aim to :
Work with honesty and integrity
Treat others with respect and dignity
Encourage contribution from everyone
Celebrate achievement and success
Be open, fair and accountable in everything we do
Embrace diversity
Respect the views of colleagues and peers
Treat others as we would expect to be treated ourselves
Contact us
Benefit Fraud Investigation Team
Civic Centre
Lampton Road
Hounslow
TW3 4DN
Hotline : 020 8583 2111
Fax : 020 8583 2360
E-mail: fraud@hounslow.gov.uk.