Oxford counter-fraud team prevents £7.4m in losses

The Oxford Investigation Service provides high-quality corporate investigations that prevent and detect fraud.

The team tracked its performance using five service performance indicators, which revealed their successes in a number of areas.

In social housing protection, they cancelled 58 housing applications and recovered five properties due to misuse, including sub-letting and unlawful succession.

In revenue identification, their work identified £1.4 million in revenue, surpassing the cost-neutral target.

Their efforts helped to prevent financial losses of more than £5.7 million, while their investigation into Right to Buy applications found out of 60 applications, 44 were false or irregular.

The team prevented these applications from proceeding, resulting in a success rate of 73 per cent.

In commercial activity income, the team exceeded their target by taking almost £230,000 from commercial activities.

The council said: "The team has marked over a decade of unparalleled success in preventing and detecting fraud and financial irregularity.

"Their efforts have not only protected the council’s financial integrity, they have also extended their expertise to other councils and social housing providers.

"They have significantly enhanced service integrity by providing products or services to 24 organisations, both within the UK and abroad."

Councillor Ed Turner, cabinet member for finance and asset management, said: "The Oxford Investigation Service has been instrumental in preventing fraud losses and getting money and assets back, amounting to many millions of pounds."

Ed Turner (Image: Oxford City Council)

He added: "Through a blend of innovation, collaboration, and determination, the team has safeguarded social housing and ensured the robustness of services across and beyond the council.

"They are outstanding leaders in the field of fraud prevention."

Aside from actively investigating fraud, the team also raises awareness of fraudulent activities and the defence against them.

The team hosted its eighth Annual Fraud Conference in November, bringing together more than 150 delegates.

The free-to-attend event, funded through exhibitor fees and sponsorship, raised awareness of fraud trends and emerging risks while showcasing the services the team offers.

The next conference will take place on November 14 and will again be free for public sector attendees.

They also collaborated with Intec For Business and ITS Training to deliver the second National Investigations Conference at Birmingham Central Library last May.

The two-day event attracted more than 110 delegates from various investigative disciplines and was free for public sector attendees.

In October 2023, Oxford Investigation Service won a Highly Commended award in the category of Excellence in Protecting the Public Purse at the Institute Of Revenues Rating and Valuation’s Performance Awards scheme.