Transfer of local authority and contracted benefit fraud investigation staff to DWP
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
Following the responses to this consultation, we are revising the way we will manage the transfer of local authority and contractor benefit fraud investigation staff to DWP. The consultation outcome summarises the responses and the changes we will make.
Original consultation
Consultation description
In the Autumn Statement on 5 December 2013, the government announced it would introduce a single Fraud Investigation Service to investigate benefit fraud across the whole of the welfare system.
The government proposes laying regulations in Parliament to transfer local authority and contractor staff working on benefit fraud investigations to the new service that will be based in DWP.
The transfer will take place in 2 phases:
- Phase 1 – transfer of staff from a small number of locations in summer 2014 to evaluate the process
- Phase 2 – transfer of staff from the remaining locations between October 2014 and March 2016
On 3 March 2014, DWP wrote to local authority chief executives and other interested groups to consult on the proposed method of transferring staff.