Single Fraud Investigation Service

The Government is creating a new Single Fraud Investigation Service (SFIS) responsible for identifying welfare benefit fraud across the country.

The SFIS, which is currently being piloted in a small number of areas, will sit within the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and bring together all investigations currently being undertaken by the DWP, local authorities and HM Revenue and Customs.  It rolled out in the coming months, with the aim to be fully up and running by March 2016.

Prosecutions arising from SFIS investigations will be conducted by the Crown Prosecution Service.

This concerted effort by the Government to co-ordinate investigations and prosecutions nationally is part of their plan to crack down on benefit fraud on a local level.  Faced with a criminal investigation by national agencies and the risk of prosecution by the CPS, it has never been more important for those suspected of fraud to obtain specialist legal advice as early as possible.