Benefit Investigation Unit
The benefit fraud investigators are located in the Amber Valley
Borough Council area and their main task is to respond to
allegations of fraud committed by benefit claimants.
The Benefits Investigation Unit also work with specialist teams
to investigate employers who collude with their workers, allowing
them to get benefits illegally and with others dealing with more
serious and organised fraud. Investigators also work with the
Police, Job Centre Plus, HM Revenue and Customs, the Immigration
and Nationality Directorate and other organisations to fight
benefit fraud.
A network of Intelligence Units supports the investigation
process by gathering and analysing intelligence. This includes
exercising the Benefits Investigation Unit powers under the Social
Security Fraud Act (2001), which allows us to get information about
people we're investigating from their banks and building societies
and from utility (water, gas and electric) and telephone
companies.
The Social Security Fraud Act 2001
The Social Security Fraud Act 2001 provides powers to improve
the investigation of fraud and enables more severe punishment for
repeat offenders. Most of the new powers under this Act came into
effect in April 2002. These include:
- new powers to get information about customers we suspect are
committing benefit fraud, from their banks, building societies and
other organisations
- new penalties for people convicted twice of a benefit
offence
- new penalties for employers who know that the people they
employ are committing benefit fraud.
Fraud undermines public confidence in the benefits system and we
are working to restore this.
Use our online benefits calculator to
check your benefits entitlement.