Fraud fight ramps up at Lambeth – but rising caseload shows problem isn’t going anywhere
Lambeth Council is stepping up its fight against fraud with a new three-year strategy and an expanded programme of investigations and prevention work — but the latest figures suggest the …
Black News 
Lambeth Council is stepping up its fight against fraud with a new three-year strategy and an expanded programme of investigations and prevention work — but the latest figures suggest the scale of the challenge remains stubbornly high.
A report to the council’s Corporate Committee combines a forward-looking Counter Fraud Strategy for 2026–29 with a progress update on current activity, painting a picture of a system that is becoming more structured and proactive, even as caseloads rise.
The headline trend is clear: fraud work is increasing. New investigations in 2025/26 are running at a higher rate than the previous year, while the total number of active cases has also grown as incoming work outpaces closures.
Council officers stress this does not necessarily mean more fraud is being committed — it may equally reflect better detection and reporting — but it does underline the ongoing pressure on the system.
Housing remains a central battleground. Activity linked to tenancy fraud, Right to Buy applications and temporary accommodation continues to dominate the workload, with recoveries and enforcement actions slightly up on last year.
Alongside investigations, the council is placing greater emphasis on prevention. Fraud risk reviews are being carried out in high-risk services, including a recent deep dive into homelessness and temporary accommodation, while staff training has been expanded to cover new legal duties around the “failure to prevent fraud” offence.
That shift is formalised in the new Counter Fraud Strategy for 2026–29, which sets out a “zero tolerance” approach and aligns with national best practice. The strategy emphasises prevention, detection, enforcement and recovery, alongside a push to embed responsibility for fraud risk across the entire organisation — from senior leadership down to frontline staff.
It also reflects a tightening legal landscape. The introduction of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act means councils can face consequences not just for fraud itself, but for failing to prevent it — raising the stakes for governance and oversight.
Financially, the results are tangible but modest. Work through the National Fraud Initiative has so far identified outcomes worth £805,497, following the review of more than 4,000 data matches.
For a borough the size of Lambeth, that represents a useful return — but also a reminder that fraud risk is likely to extend far beyond what is currently being detected.
Looking ahead, the draft work plan for 2026/27 sets out an increasingly ambitious programme. This includes at least six fraud prevention reviews a year, expanded training and awareness campaigns, tighter scrutiny of housing applications and financial transactions, and closer collaboration with other councils and enforcement agencies.
There are also longer-term ambitions to consolidate counter fraud work into a single, more centralised service and to shift resources further towards prevention rather than investigation.
Taken together, the reports suggest a council that is taking fraud more seriously, with clearer structures, stronger policies and a growing focus on prevention. But they also reveal a system under steady pressure, where demand continues to rise and outcomes — while real — remain relatively small in the context of the wider financial risks.
The direction of travel is clear enough. The harder question is whether a more organised approach will be enough to keep pace with a problem that, by its nature, is constantly evolving — and unlikely to shrink any time soon.
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