Learn about our Corporate Anti Fraud Team (CAFT)

Barnet Council's Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) is a specialist investigative unit established to assist the council in protecting public money. We do this by developing and implementing strong strategies, procedures and controls to prevent fraud, corruption and bribery, including:

• housing tenancy fraud
• procurement fraud
• payroll and pension fraud
• other kinds of internal fraud, bribery, corruption or money laundering activity
• concessionary travel fraud including blue badge fraud and misuse
• staff fraud.

CAFT operate under a set of policy documents called the Counter Fraud Framework. We also operate under comprehensive internal investigation procedures and processes, which adhere to the following governing investigation legislations:

• Criminal Procedures and Investigations Act 1996
• Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
• Local Government Act 1972.

Our investigation staff are professionally qualified fraud investigators and/or financial investigators who operate to the highest standards of conduct and principles.

Our aim is to create a culture that actively prevents and detects fraud, bribery and corruption. We’ll achieve this by providing fraud awareness training for all staff, making sure everyone understands their role in keeping the council safe.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to fraud, corruption and bribery and we will investigate every allegation reported to us. If you are found guilty of fraud, corruption, bribery or other related criminal activity, you could face prosecution, and we will take steps to recover any losses.

The council has a duty to protect the public funds it administers. We might use the information you have given us to prevent and detect fraud. We may also share this information with other organisation responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes. 

Find out how we use information.

Report fraud against the council

You can report all suspicions of fraud against the council and its partners to CAFT using the link below.

Report fraud against the council

Alternatively, you can report all suspicions of fraud by using one of the following:

• calling the fraud hotline on 020 8359 2007
• calling the whistleblowing hotline on 020 8359 6123 or emailing whistleblowing@barnet.gov.uk

To report housing benefit fraud, please contact the Department for Work & Pensions' National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440 or report it online.

Annual report

Our annual report is reported to the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS).

Policy documents