About us

The Public Sector Fraud Authority works with departments and public bodies to understand and reduce the impact of fraud.

Mission

Our mission is to:

  • Modernise the fraud and error response by widening access, and use of, leading practices, tools and technology - better protecting taxpayers money.
  • Build expert led services that collaborate with experts in Departments and Public Bodies to better fight fraud and error through risk, prevention, data and enforcement techniques
  • Develop capability in the public sector to find, prevent and respond to fraud and error - both organisationally and individually
  • Put performance at the heart of the public sector fraud conversation - focusing on investments and outcomes
  • We will aim to be seen as a beacon of fraud and error expertise and a destination for those wanting to make a difference in fighting public sector fraud.

Responsibilities

We are responsible for:

  • Being the government’s Centre of Expertise on the management of public sector fraud. 
  • Being the authoritative voice within government on the extent of the risk and threat of fraud across the public sector and the government’s overall performance in dealing with it. 
  • Providing expert-led services to ministerial departments and public bodies and sharing practices and standards to the wider public sector. 
  • The government’s Counter Fraud Function, bringing together the expertise of those who work to find and fight fraud and reduce error across government. 
  • Operating the Government Counter Fraud Profession to build capability in counter fraud across government.
  • Producing an annual Report that makes transparent the levels of fraud in government and the latest fraud and error evidence base and an annual report on its performance. - Providing data to the National Audit Office. This will include performance data and the compliance with mandatory processes and data requests.

Who we are

We employ over 100 staff who work across the country. We are made up of 7 services and functions.

Services

Risk, Threat and Prevention

We support government departments and public bodies in further understanding their fraud risks and to design and implement fraud controls.

Data Analytics Service

Our Data Analytics Service  provides best-in-class tools to support public bodies to find and prevent fraud. This includes the National Fraud Initiative (NFI), Single Network Analytics Platform (SNAP) and the centre of the Counter Fraud Function’s data sharing pilots programme.

Enforcement and Intelligence Unit

We have launched a pilot enforcement unit to take action on cases of fraud in the public sector. This unit works collaboratively with government departments and public bodies to investigate allegations of fraud and recover fraud losses.

Functions

Performance, Assurance and Evidence

We increase understanding of the extent of fraud and error loss and oversee the performance of departments and public bodies. We do this through building the evidence base for fraud and error in central government and through reviewing public bodies’ compliance against the Government Functional Standard GovS 013: Counter Fraud.

Practice, Standards and Capability

We bring together expertise from across the public sector and beyond to define and promote good practice, set professional standards, and develop capability through the Government Counter Fraud Profession. 

Policy

We provide expert advice and information to ministers, government departments, and public bodies. We develop cross government policy to modernise the counter fraud response and bring together international partners to share leading practices through the International Public Sector Fraud Forum.

Core Services

Our operations are underpinned by core services including, human resources, commercial and finance.

Our official channels

You can access the latest information about our organisation through our official website on GOV.UK. Visit and follow us on LinkedIn too.

Don’t forget that if you contact us, we’ll only email you through an official government email address, ending with ‘gov.uk’.

How to spot a phishing email, fake text or fake letter 

If you’ve seen something that doesn’t feel right, STOP!

  • break the contact – don’t reply, respond, click on any links or make any payments
  • check if it’s genuine: contact the person or company directly, using an email address or phone number you know is correct, e.g. from your utility bills, via a search engine, on the back of your card or by calling 159 for banks

If you have been contacted by another government department or organisation 

Visit their website to find further information on how they will contact you. Or you can contact them directly using an email address or phone number you know is correct, such as from their website accessed using a search engine.

Reporting fraud 

Whether you’ve seen something suspicious or been a victim of fraud, you should always report it. Providing details of what happened will help the police crack down on the criminals and could prevent the same thing happening to others.

If you’ve been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber crime, report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.

For further information on how to protect yourself, spot fraud, and report fraud visit HM Government’s Stop! Think Fraud advice pages

Corporate information

Jobs and contracts

Find out About our services.

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