Government unleashes £1.2 billion crackdown as part of anti-fraud drive
What was announced
Benefits cheats have been put on notice with tough new anti-fraud measures used for the first time as part of a drive to save billions of pounds for the taxpayer.
Key points, in the publisher's words
- First use of new anti-fraud powers to help identify claimants with undeclared savings or extended time spent overseas, saving taxpayers £1.2 billion by 2030/31.
- Banks will be asked to flag accounts where data suggests certain benefit eligibility rules may no longer be met.
- Part of the Government’s wider plan to save £14.6 billion by tackling fraud, error and debt, alongside broader moves to put work and opportunity at the heart of a sustainable welfare system.
Figures in this announcement
Each line is quoted from the original. Figures are as the publisher stated them on the day.
- “First use of new anti-fraud powers to help identify claimants with undeclared savings or extended time spent overseas, saving taxpayers £1.2 billion by 2030/31.”
- “Part of the Government’s wider plan to save £14.6 billion by tackling fraud, error and debt, alongside broader moves to put work and opportunity at the heart of a sustainable welfare system.”
- “The Eligibility Verification Measure ( EVM ) - expected to save taxpayers £1.2 billion by 2030/31 - will ask banks to help identify claimants who may have undeclared savings or remain abroad longer than benefit rules allow, two major drivers of fraud and error.”
- “They have been introduced as part of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 and contribute to the Government’s wider drive to save the taxpayer £14.6 billion over the next five years.”
- “A wider package of reforms, set to be unveiled at the Budget, is expected to save the taxpayer a further £1.4 billion between 2027 and 2032.”
- “With £1.2 billion in savings expected by 2030/31, this is a major step forward in tackling fraud and error, protecting public money and ensuring support goes to those who genuinely need it.”
Who and where
People
- Lilian Greenwood (MP for Nottingham South (Labour)) · more news
UK bodies of power
- Department for Work and Pensions (UK government department) · more news
Constituencies of the MPs named: Nottingham South.
Where this sits in the 10 levels of power
Topics, as GOV.UK files them: Welfare reform.
Receipt
- Original: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-unleashes-12-billion-crackdown-as-part-of-anti-fraud-drive
- Published 2026-10-26 14:04:36 UTC
- Read by this site 2026-10-26 14:15:12 UTC from GOV.UK
- Saved copy: receipt 2503, with its SHA-256 fingerprint
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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