Arrests made in raids in Bradford and Worcester over alleged £1 million benefits fraud

A Department for Works and Pensions investigation has linked a suspected organised crime group with 1,000 bogus benefits claims - potentially defrauding more than £900,000 from the taxpayer.

Last Wednesday West Mercia Police and West Yorkshire Police searched addresses in the cities and seized evidence before questioning the suspects. The evidence will be analysed in the coming weeks, alongside footage from interviews with the suspects.

More than 1,000 claims for Universal Credit (UC) are believed to have been fraudulently submitted by the group over a two-year period, resulting in advance payments worth more than £900,000 being allegedly paid to the suspects. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride, who attended the raid in Bradford, said cracking down on fraud was a “key priority” and he believed the department was “turning the tide”.

Official data show overpayments due to fraud were 2.7 per cent (£6.4bn) in the financial year ending 2023, compared with three per cent (£6.5bn) in the year ending 2022, the highest level on record. Last year the government said it was spending £613m over three years including a 2,000-strong team to review existing UC claims and enhanced data analytics to develop new ways to combat fraud.