Benefit Fraud
If you are under investigation for benefit fraud, it can be a very distressing and anxiety-inducing experience. Having expert benefit fraud defence solicitors understand your situation and guide you through the process is key to achieving the best outcome.
Get In Touch With The Experts At DPP Law For The Best Benefit Fraud Defence
With an intricate system and confusing eligibility criteria, it’s entirely possible that there may have been a time when you unknowingly claimed benefits incorrectly. If you’re facing an accusation of this kind, it’s crucial to seek legal advice and assistance right away from our benefit fraud solicitors DPP Law as soon as possible.
The expert team at DPP Law have the strongest understanding of the benefit fraud defence process. Our understanding and caring solicitors have over 30 years of experience contesting unfair accusations and are well versed in building strong cases for the best outcomes.
From the moment you receive notification of an investigation being launched, DPP Law will be able to support you and offer you legal advice, attending your “interview under caution”.
Helping you to gather evidence and representing you in court if your case gets that far, our team of welfare benefits solicitors will advise you of the best steps to take and will build a strong defence on your behalf.
Our friendly, knowledgeable and experienced team of welfare benefits solicitors will provide you with all the support you require right from the beginning to the end of the process.
What Constitutes Benefit Fraud?
Benefit fraud occurs when an individual obtains benefits that they are not necessarily entitled to or if they fail to properly report a change in their personal circumstances. If you are claiming multiple benefits, or are unsure as to what the regulations are and what your eligibility is surrounding your entitlement – then you may unknowingly fall under the remit of what constitutes benefit fraud, and an investigation letter may come as a shock to you.
What Happens If You’re Accused Of Benefit Fraud?
If you’ve been accused of benefit fraud, and if you’re about to become the subject of an investigation, it can be extremely distressing. Especially if you’re unsure as to what to expect.
Implications of Accusations of Benefit Fraud
DPP Law can navigate any implications of an accusation of benefit fraud
At no point in the benefit fraud investigation process is it guaranteed that you will be fully informed of the exact offence of which you are accused.
Your benefit fraud defence solicitors are better placed to be able to discover the exact charges you may be facing, and help you to fight against them.
What happens during a Benefit Fraud Investigation?
A benefit fraud investigation usually begins with the DWP informing the accused via letter. At this point, it is essential you get in touch with DPP Law’s team of benefit fraud solicitors.
The process of the investigation allows any relevant body to visit you and your home where they can conduct further investigations, one of the reasons for having a legal professional guiding you is so important.
The process will also involve interviews with relevant departments, and steps being taken to obtain evidence, which can be invasive and difficult to deal with. This type of disturbance to your life could last a fair amount of time as benefit fraud investigations often take a long time to fully complete.
The DPP Law team are able to work with the following bodies throughout the investigation to build the best possible defence and speed up this process:
- HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
- The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
- The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
- The Serious Fraud Office (SFO)
From here, we will ensure you’re fully prepared for any interviews conducted by the police and ensure fair bail conditions. We will also ensure all protocols are followed closely to the law and prepare you properly for your defence at trial, and handle any appeals.
What are the penalties of Benefit Fraud?
Being found guilty of benefit fraud can lead to you being required to pay back all of the money you are found to have illegally obtained.
If you are found guilty, you may face benefit fraud penalties that range from a fine (often starting at around £1,500) to a custodial sentence of up to seven years. You may also have assets seized, be stripped of your benefits for up to three years, required to face administrative penalties and to repay the amount you falsely claimed.
For those cases that are more severe, a harsher outcome may be handed to you as the case is transferred to different courts, with the Crown Court being a potential option upon which a prison sentence could be decided upon.
Get in touch with us today to speak to our experts, who are ready to help and are passionate in working to ensure you have the strongest case possible to get the best result.
DPP Law can guide you through any type of benefit fraud accusation.
Having a strong understanding of the different types of benefit fraud is imperative to building a strong case of defence. Below are the most common benefits for which you may be investigated if you incorrectly apply or fail to notify the correct authorities when your circumstances change in a way that should affect the amount you are likely to receive:
- Council Tax Benefit
- Housing Benefit
- Jobseekers Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit
- Income Support
- Employment & Support Allowance
- There are many others besides.
As a general rule, if you receive any form of taxpayer-funded support and you have provided incorrect information in order to either receive or retain it – whether purposefully or accidentally – you may find yourself at the mercy of the benefit fraud investigation process.
Whatever the type of support you may be accused of incorrectly claiming, finding experienced benefit fraud defence solicitors to assist you in the process may mean the difference between an acquittal and a substantial penalty.
Benefit Fraud Solicitors: Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a benefit fraud investigation take?
Fraud investigations can stretch on for a number of months depending on the complexity of the supposed alleged offence. At a relatively early stage, you are likely to receive an invitation from Fraud Investigation Officers to attend an “interview under caution” – something you can accept or decline – and a decision will be made after that time as to whether the benefit fraud investigation process should continue and whether or not you will continue to face benefit fraud penalties.
You should not ignore notification of an investigation – as soon as you find out that one is taking place, you should make contact with our benefit fraud defence solicitors.
Can you find out who reported you for benefit fraud?
No, all reports of benefit fraud remain anonymous.
What is classed as benefit fraud?
You may be liable to face benefit fraud penalties for a wide variety of reasons, but the following are the most common:
- You are claiming benefits to which you are not entitled – for example, falsifying a disability or failing to report income so that you will be awarded extra financial support.
- You have not notified the DWP, HMRC or your benefit provider of any changes to your circumstances that would otherwise lead to a change to the benefits you receive.
- You are taking advantage of an administrative error that means you are being paid more benefits than those to which you are entitled.
- You are claiming benefits on behalf of someone else through false representation.
If you suspect that you have been accused of any of the above, you should get in touch with trusted benefit fraud solicitors as soon as you can.
Contact DPP Law’s team of benefit fraud defence solicitors for further information about what you can expect as part of an investigation, to request legal advice and to ask for representation.
Our friendly, knowledgeable and experienced team of welfare benefits solicitors will provide you with all the support you require right from the beginning to the end of the process.
