Public Sector Fraud Authority launched by government

The government has launched a new Public Sector Fraud Authority to fight fraud in the public sector.

The new Authority was launched by government efficiency minister, Jacob Rees-Mogg, with a first year target of £180 million of identified fraud benefits.

The new organisation will work with other departments to agree longer-term targets by December.

The Public Sector Fraud Authority will be made up of counter fraud and data experts, with the aim of helping departments and public bodies protect public money. The Authority will be supported by a cross-sector Advisory Panel, the chair of which will be announced in September.

The Authority will receive £25 million of new funding with the aim of modernising the government's counter fraud response and working with departments and public bodies to test their fraud defences, using leading practice and modern techniques, and then helping them put stronger safeguards in place.

The Authority plans to do this by; agreeing ambitious counter fraud plans for departments and public bodies and reviewing progress; regularly and directly briefing cabinet ministers including HM Treasury and Cabinet Office on the latest fraud landscape, providing expert support to departments and public bodies about the fraud risks and threats they face, then helping to design defences against them and test their effectiveness; and building a new National Counter Fraud Data Analytics Service that will provide advanced data capabilities, such as social network analysis, to surface, fight and prevent fraud against taxpayers and enhancing the use of fraud intelligence across the public sector, and with other sectors, to combat specific threats.

Minister for Government Efficiency, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said: "Public sector fraud is not an attack on a single person, and so to many the pain feels less sharp than when directed at individuals. But fraud attacks on government are attacks on money earned by much put-upon taxpayers.

"They are an attack on the emergency services whose funding they deplete, similarly they steal money from infrastructure projects.

"As criminals develop more sophisticated tools, we too must adapt and modernise.

"So we’re attracting the brightest minds and equipping them with tools to detect, prevent and deter those who seek to steal money intended to fund vital public services."

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