Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) has uncovered fraudulent activity totalling approximately £437,000, following investigations carried out by its Corporate Fraud Team in 2024/25.
Fraud was identified across several key council services, including Council Tax Discounts, Council Tax Support, housing tenancy fraud, and the Homes for Ukraine scheme. These efforts form part of the council’s commitment to ensuring public funds are used fairly and only benefit those who are genuinely entitled to support.
Among the most significant findings were 144 cases of residents wrongly claiming Single Person Discount on Council Tax, amounting to £236,961, which is now being recovered by the council.
Investigations also revealed five cases of housing tenancy fraud, leading to the recovery of three social-housing properties. These homes have now been made available to families in genuine need, helping to alleviate housing pressure in the district.
The fraud team also uncovered misuse of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, including one case that resulted in prosecution. The individual was ordered to repay £9,900 to the council.
Executive Leader, Cllr Sarah Conboy, said: “Schemes like the Council Tax Support Scheme are vital lifelines for many of our residents, so it is always disappointing to see them misused. I commend our fraud team for their thorough work in identifying these cases and ensuring that support reaches those who truly need it.”
HDC also actively participates in the National Fraud Initiative (NFI), a data-matching exercise coordinated nationally, which uses data from both the public and private sectors to detect fraud and error.
Residents who suspect fraudulent activity are encouraged to report it confidentially to the council’s Corporate Fraud Team. Find out more on the Report Fraud webpage.