Benefit fraud
Middlesbrough Council is committed to protecting public funds through its action against benefit fraud. Benefit fraud is a criminal offence. The Council will recover any overpaid benefit and consider prosecuting any person who deliberately provides false or misleading information, or who fails to declare a change in circumstances with a view to getting benefit, for themselves or some other person, to which they are not entitled.
What is benefit fraud?
Benefit fraud is when people claim benefit, including Housing and Council Tax Benefits, which they are not entitled to by giving us false information or not telling us when their circumstances have changed.
The following are examples of the type of benefit fraud we come across:
- False addresses
- False or contrived tenancies
- Subletting part of a property where benefit is already being paid
- Not declaring paid work
- Not declaring other people who are living in the household
- Not declaring income or capital
- Not declaring ownership of other properties or land.
What can you do about it?
If you have any information or concerns that you feel we should know about, please send them to us by letter or by completing the form 'Reporting benefit fraud' which can be found in the document in the download section on the left of this page. We can only investigate a person if we have good reason to suspect benefit fraud. Therefore the more information you provide, the better. You do not have to provide details about yourself, you can remain anonymous. Please send the form or your letter to:
Benefit Fraud Team
3rd Floor Middlesbrough House
50 Corporation Road
Middlesbrough
TS1 2YQ
You can also report your concerns in strict confidence by ringing our dedicated team of fraud investigators on 01642 726355, emailing us at investigators@mouchel-middlesbrough.com or you can also report online 
.
Under the Data Protection Act we cannot give progress to the public on any investigation.
