INVESTIGATIVE work is being carried out to protect public funds and support the funding of key services.

Work undertaken by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has uncovered nearly quarter of a million pounds of fraud and error in just one year.

Through working closely with partners and taking advantage of sophisticated data matching technology the borough council identified £233,000 which had been wrongly claimed, or which would otherwise be lost.

This is an increase of £53,000 from the previous year.

More than £92,000 worth of housing benefit was identified as fraud and error thanks to work with the Department for Work and Pensions.

The National Fraud Initiative run by the cabinet office, which uses data matching technology to uncover false claims for single person council tax discounts, was used to successfully identify more than £117,500.

The borough council has also been working to spread the word about the impact or fraud, sharing messages about cyber fraud, money laundering and reporting fraud, which led to the council’s fraud team being praised in a national trade publication.

Cabinet member for finance and service improvement at the borough council, councillor Hannah Golding said: “We take fraud very seriously and work hard, alongside other agencies, to investigate all types.

“This includes people falsely claiming council tax single person discount, companies claiming business rate exemptions they aren’t entitled to and people applying for a property they aren’t eligible for.

“We receive hundreds of referrals from the public and our partners, and we follow up on all reports of fraud.

If anyone is suspicious of fraudulent activity they are aced to call the fraud hotline on 0800 525927 or email fraudinvestigators@basingstoke.gov.uk.

Reports can also be made by the borough council's website by visiting basingstoke.gov.uk/report-fraud.