Benefit fraud

Housing Benefit and Council Tax support is means tested. This means that we have to obtain specific information about people who wish to claim, so that their entitlement can be calculated correctly.

Fraud occurs with housing benefit or council tax support when a person gets more than they are entitled to by knowingly, or dishonestly, withholding or falsifying information related to their claim.

Undeclared income

If you do not tell us about money you or your partner have coming into your household at any point during the time you are claiming benefits, you are in breach of the terms you agree to when claiming housing benefit or council tax support.

We need to know about all of your income – regardless of hours worked, amount earned or source of income. Please declare any change to your or your partner’s income to the benefits service as soon as possible.

Undeclared capital

This include:

• capital includes any accounts, savings, and investments you or your partner have,
• as well as any property you, or your partner, own, whether someone is living there or not.

As with income all capital, investments and property should be declared at the start of any claim and during the claim if changes occur.

Undeclared partner in your household

This can be one of the following:

• not telling us about a partner living in your household when you first make a claim
• if your partner moves into your household during your claim

Other types of fraud

Other types of fraud for Housing Benefit and Council Tax support include:

• not living at the declared address
• failing to declare a non-dependant
• falsifying claim documents

This is not a full list of fraudulent behaviour – all questions relating to your housing benefit and council tax support claim should be answered truthfully.