Social Housing Fraud Costing Councils Millions

Unlawful use of social housing remains the largest category of fraud across local government despite councils' increased efforts to tackle it, a report by the Audit Commission has revealed. According to the Protecting the Public Purse report, 1,800 homes were recovered from tenancy fraudsters by councils during 2010/11. But while the number of properties being used for fraud recovered by local authorities has risen by 75 per cent in the last three years, the 'vast majority' are in London and more than half of councils with housing stock outside the capital failed to recover a single property. Housing tenancy fraud is the use of social housing by someone not entitled to occupy it. At its worst, fraudsters sub-let for profit. According to Audit Commission figures it costs at least £900 million a year but there is also an impact on families waiting for a council home. Download a copy of the report from the Audit Commission website.