Government Counter Fraud Function and Profession

Protecting public services and fighting economic crime.

Government Counter Fraud Function

The Government Counter Fraud Function (GCFF) is one of the government’s fourteen functions. The GCFF ensures the effective management of counter fraud, bribery and corruption activity in government. It brings together public servants who work to find and tackle fraud, bribery, corruption and wider economic crime across government. This includes those working to understand and mitigate fraud risk within their organisations and those who work in the public sector to fight economic crime.

There is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach to finding and fighting fraud. The dedicated Counter Fraud Function enables collaboration within and across organisations to share practices, address the fraud and error challenge against government and ensure efficient and effective delivery of counter fraud work. By bringing together specialist counter fraud expertise within and across organisations, the GCFF helps those working in and leading departments and public bodies to understand and manage the risk and impact of fraud. This helps ensure that government has the capabilities to fight fraud effectively in the modern world.

Counter Fraud Functional Strategy 2024-2027

The Counter Fraud Functional Strategy 2024-2027 has been designed to put government on the best possible footing to meet the fraud challenges we face today as well as those that are emerging in the future.

It sets out five strategic objectives for the GCFF:

  • Support and develop our people;
  • Harness data and technology more effectively;
  • Embed prevention.
  • Drive a targeted, proportionate response against fraudsters; and
  • Secure cross-system cultural change.

Read the Government Counter Fraud Functional Strategy 2024-2027.

Research and best practice guidance

Government Functional Standard GovS 013: Counter Fraud

Experts from across government supported by experts from other sectors have defined the minimum standard that government departments and public bodies should have in place to effectively deal with fraud. These are detailed in the government functional standard.

Read the functional standard.

Government Counter Fraud Profession

The Government Counter Fraud Profession (GCFP), operated by the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA), was formed in 2018 to create a framework to build counter fraud capability across the public sector.

The GCFP unites the counter fraud community under professional standards, practice and guidance,  supporting its growth, and empowering its members to safeguard public services and combat economic crime.

Government Counter Fraud Profession Strategy 2023-2025

This document outlines the strategic focus and key objectives for the Government Counter Fraud Profession for 2023-2025.

Government Counter Fraud Profession Strategy 2023-2025

Professional Standards and Guidance

As Professional Standards are developed they are released under open government licence on www.gov.uk. Links to those available to date are outlined below and further sets will be released in due course.

These documents are part of the wider government counter fraud Professional Standards and Guidance, which cover all the core disciplines and subdisciplines in the Government Counter Fraud Framework.

Professional Standard and Guidance: Fraud Prevention Discipline

Read Professional Standards and Guidance: Fraud Prevention Discipline

Professional Standard and Guidance: Counter Bribery and Corruption

Read Professional Standards and Guidance: Counter Bribery and Corruption

Professional Standards and Guidance: Fraud Risk Assessment

Read Professional Standards and Guidance: Fraud Risk Assessment

Professional Standards and Guidance: Counter Fraud Investigator

Read Professional Standards and Guidance: Counter Fraud Investigator

Initial Fraud Impact Assessment Practice Note

Read Initial Fraud Impact Assessment Practice Note

Bid-Rigging Risk in all Procurement

Read Bid-Rigging Risk in all Procurement

Introduction to AI with a focus on counter fraud

Read Introduction to AI with a focus on counter fraud

Investigation Curriculum

The Government Counter Fraud Profession has created an investigation curriculum in  support of the Professional Standards and Guidance: Counter Fraud Investigator. The Curriculum details the knowledge requirements for the Category C Counter Fraud Investigator for England and Wales. It is intended to assist training providers and practitioners understand the core knowledge requirements by providing a more detailed document. The Curriculum can be accessed on application by contacting our capability enquiries email address below.

Contact the GCFP

General enquiries: GCFP@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Capability enquiries: GCFPcentreoflearning@cabinetoffice.gov.uk