Council tax fraud
If someone who is claiming a council tax discount or exemption, deliberately fails to report a change in their circumstances within one month, or lies in order to claim the discount or exemption, then they are committing fraud.
We rely on people to pass on information concerning possible fraudulent claims.
Report a council tax cheat
If you suspect someone is committing council tax fraud please:
- call our confidential 24-hour council tax fraud hotline 01235 422483 – this number is manned during council office hours and is linked to an answer phone at all other times, or
- complete our Report Fraud form and email it to fraud@southandvale.gov.uk
All information you provide is treated in confidence.
Important – please do not alert anyone that we may be investigating them for benefit fraud, as this could disrupt our enquiries.
For reasons of confidentiality we will not be able to tell you the results of our investigation although we will publicise the results if the case goes to court.
What information should you provide?
When reporting a suspected council tax cheat please give as much detail as possible to help us find the person and investigate them.
For example, if you suspect someone has another adult living in the property but is claiming single person discount, do you know:
- what their name is?
- how long have they lived there?
- what their relationship to the applicant is?
If you cannot provide these details, do not worry – any information you give can help our investigation.
Your personal information
When you report information to us you can choose to remain anonymous, although it would help our investigations if you could give your name and phone number in case we need more information from you.
Any information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence and we will not give your name to anyone else.
Further information
If you want to report a suspected council tax cheat outside of our district, please visit the National Targeting Fraud website or call the Fraud Hotline on 0800 3286340.
For people who are hard of hearing, there is a textphone number 0800 3286341.
Contact us - Fraud team
01235 422483
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)
South Oxfordshire District Council
Abbey House
Abbey Close
Abingdon
OX14 3JE
