Report benefit fraud

Report someone you think is committing benefit fraud.

This page is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Give as much information as you can about the person you’re reporting. This could include:

  • their name
  • their address
  • the type of fraud you think they’re committing

You can make a report anonymously - you do not have to give your name or contact details unless you want to.

There are different ways to report fraud against benefits and payments made by Social Security Scotland.

Start now

What you need to know

What happens after you report someone

The Department for Work and Pensions Fraud and Error Service will look at the information you give. They will not be able to tell you the outcome of their investigation.

The Fraud and Error Service will only take action if they find the person has been committing benefit fraud. Action can include removing a person’s benefits and taking them to court.

Sometimes no action is taken. The person may have declared a change in their circumstances or their benefit may not be affected by what you report.

Other ways to report someone

You can also report benefit fraud by phone or post.

National Benefit Fraud Hotline (NBFH)
Telephone: 0800 854 440
Textphone: 0800 328 0512
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Welsh Telephone: 0800 678 3722
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

National Benefit Fraud Hotline
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 2BP

Report benefit fraud in Northern Ireland by phone

You can use the Northern Ireland Benefit Fraud Hotline to report people:

  • living in Northern Ireland
  • living somewhere else but you think they’re committing benefits fraud against benefits and payments made by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Benefit Fraud Hotline
Telephone: 0800 975 6050
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm
Find out about call charges

War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Report benefit fraud of the War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme to the Ministry of Defence Fraud Team.

You can report by phone or post.

Ministry of Defence Fraud Team
Telephone: 01253 338698
Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm
Find out about call charges

Ministry of Defence Fraud Team
FREEPOST NAT18006
Norcross
Thornton Cleveleys
FY5 3ZZ

Report someone living in Spain or Portugal

Use the local numbers if you’re calling from Spain or Portugal.

Spain Benefit Fraud Hotline
Telephone: 900 55 44 40
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm local time (GMT +2)
Find out about call charges

Portugal Benefit Fraud Hotline
Telephone: 800 20 86 38
Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm local time (GMT +1)
Find out about call charges

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