Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Accepted
Paragraph: 42
Implement immediate steps to improve fraud reporting mechanisms and case progression for victims.
Recommendation
Individual police forces do not have the capacity to manage the volume of fraud reports made and so it is vital that there is an effective reporting service that is victim-focused and can deal consistently with reports and progress cases swiftly to a resolution, all while keeping the victim updated on the actions being taken. Action Fraud has not proved itself to be fit for these purposes and is not sufficiently resourced to meet the growing and varied challenges of fraud. Action Fraud is due to be replaced in 2024; however, victims should not have to wait until then before they begin to see an improvement to the mechanisms for reporting fraud and monitoring the progress of their cases. The Government should take steps now to address these issues.
Government Response Summary
The government committed £400 million over three years to tackle economic crime, dedicating 725 Police Uplift Programme posts to serious organised crime, and expanding fraud investigation teams across all Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs).
Paragraph Reference:
42
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government is increasing law enforcement investigative capacity to tackle fraud. Over the next three years the Spending Review has allocated £400 million in tackling economic crime, including fraud. This is in addition to the funding that the Home Office commits each year to the NECC in the NCA, and police forces, including over £15m each year to CoLP as the national lead force for fraud. As part of the Police Uplift Programme, 725 posts have been dedicated to tacking Serious Organised Crime including fraud. Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables will decide how to allocate further resource they receive through the Programme within their forces. Having piloted new fraud investigation teams in four Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs), we are expanding these and rolling them out across all ROCUs. The Government is also increasing law enforcement investigative capacity in the CoLP and establishing a new fraud investigative function in the NCA as part of the establishment of a national law enforcement network tackling fraud. Given the nature of fraud and the scale of the challenge to tackle it, the Government recognises that increasing law enforcement resource alone will not be sufficient and that private sector partners will need to play a significant part in combating this crime. Investigating Fraud 1.4