National Fraud Initiative


National Fraud Initiative

We're required by law to protect the public funds we administer. We may share information provided to us with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

The Cabinet Office is responsible for carrying out data matching.

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body to see how far they match. It's usually personal information and allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it may indicate differences that need further investigation. No assumptions can be made about why there are differences in the matched information until an investigation is carried out.

We participate in the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative. This is a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We're required to provide particular sets of data to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for matching for each exercise, as detailed here.

The use of data by the Cabinet Office in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Data matching by the Cabinet Office is subject to a Code of Practice.

For further information email Rich Clarke our Head of Audit dataprotectionrevenues@midkent.gov.uk.

View the 2018/19 fraud cases