Whole of Government Accounts 2017-18
The Whole of Government Accounts consolidates the public sector’s accounts to produce a picture of the UK’s public finances.
Published:
24 May 2019
24 May 2019
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Fraud, error and debt management
To pay the right amount, to the right person, at the right time, government needs effective processes. Where these fail, fraud, error and outstanding debts to government all increase. In addition, new ways of delivering services bring new processes and controls, and create new risks and new opportunities. For example, more data sharing between government bodies can reduce fraud and error, but can also enhance the risk of cyber crime and accidental loss of confidential customer information.
Fraud and error affects many departments and almost all government bodies have debt owed to them, such as overdue tax liabilities and outstanding fines. Government could save £10 billion every year through better management of fraud, error and debt – especially by DWP and HMRC, which deal with the largest payments to and from the public.
Key NAO publications
- Fraud landscape review (Feb 2016)
- Fraud and Error Stocktake (Jul 2015)
- Understanding fraud and error: a primer (PDF - 281KB) (Jul 2015)
- Managing debt owed to central government (Feb 2014).
Tackling problem debt
This report aims to evaluate and conclude on HM Treasury’s overall approach to over-indebtedness.
Published:
6 Sep 2018
6 Sep 2018
Investigation into errors in Employment and Support Allowance
This investigation covers a single, major cause of underpayment error in ESA. This error relates to people whose existing benefit claim was converted to ESA and who were entitled to income-related ESA but were only awarded contribution-based ESA.
Published:
21 Mar 2018
21 Mar 2018
Online Fraud
Online fraud is now the most commonly experienced crime in England and Wales, but has been overlooked by government, law enforcement and industry.
Published:
30 Jun 2017
30 Jun 2017
Investigation into overseas sellers failing to charge VAT on online sales
The NAO have investigated concerns that online sellers outside the EU are avoiding charging VAT.
Published:
19 Apr 2017
19 Apr 2017
Investigation into the Department for International Development’s approach to tackling fraud
The NAO has conducted an investigation into DFID’s approach to tackling fraud, following an increase in the potential risks after the government committed to spend 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid.
Published:
9 Feb 2017
9 Feb 2017
Department for Work and Pensions 2015-16 accounts
The Comptroller and Auditor General, Amyas Morse, has qualified his audit opinion on the regularity of the 2015-16 accounts of the Department for Work and Pensions. This is owing to the unacceptably high level of fraud and error in benefit expenditure, other than State Pension where the level of fraud and error is lower.
Published:
8 Jul 2016
8 Jul 2016
Fraud landscape review
The exact scale of fraud within government is unknown. The quality and completeness of fraud data is often variable.
Published:
23 Feb 2016
23 Feb 2016
Tackling tax fraud: how HMRC responds to tax evasion, the hidden economy and criminal attacks
HMRC has met its targets to raise more tax revenue in the short-term; however, an estimated £16 billion is lost to tax fraud each year. HMRC needs to improve the way it uses data and analysis to understand the effect of its actions to tackle fraud.
Published:
17 Dec 2015
17 Dec 2015
Fraud and Error Stocktake
The government continues to lose large amounts of money through fraud and error overpayments and many vulnerable people get less support than they are entitled to.
Published:
21 Jul 2015
21 Jul 2015