Barnet Council says it has saved over £2.2 million in temporary accommodation costs by tackling social housing fraud, according to a new report.
The council, which covers areas bordering Harrow such as Mill Hill, Edgware and Burnt Oak, recovered 34 properties during the 2024–2025 financial year. These homes were being used illegally and have now been returned to those in genuine need of housing.
The savings come from avoiding the costs of placing people in temporary accommodation, which can be significantly more expensive for councils.
The figures were published in the council’s annual report by its Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT), submitted to the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee.
The report shows that Barnet Council investigated 841 cases of potential tenancy fraud this year – a 55% increase from the previous year. Of these, 731 were new cases, which included 254 alleged tenancy fraud cases and 477 checks for Right to Buy and Anti-Money Laundering issues.
The fraud team also made progress in tackling travel-related fraud, including misuse of Blue Badges and parking permits. A total of 521 cases were investigated, leading to 59 successful criminal prosecutions. This resulted in £36,674.01 in costs and £21,554 in court fines.
Cllr Barry Rawlings, Leader of Barnet Council, said: “We take a firm stand against fraud, corruption, and any form of dishonesty. There is absolutely no place for it in our borough.
“Fraud not only damages public trust but also threatens the quality of services we provide. That’s why we have strong systems in place to prevent and investigate wrongdoing.
“We have a clear responsibility to protect the council’s finances, defrauding the council is defrauding the public – and we won’t stand for it.”
Barnet is also part of a pilot scheme through the London Fraud Hub, which cross-checks payroll data to identify individuals working multiple council jobs at the same time. Across London, the hub is currently investigating 101 cases.
Anyone with information about fraud is encouraged to contact Barnet Council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team via their website: barnet.gov.uk/fraud-investigation.
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