Cifas warns about growing Council Tax fraud with 1 in 6 admitting to dishonestly claiming Single Person Discount

• Almost 1 in 10 UK adults believe falsely claiming for tax discount is acceptable 

• Single Person Discount fraud one of ‘most common’ fraud types in latest survey 

• Cifas calls for action to protect vital local services 

Cifas, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service, is urging residents to consider consequences of Council Tax fraud when battling rising costs, as new research highlights an alarming trend in individuals dishonestly claiming the Single Person Discount (SPD). 

The SPD is a 25% reduction on Council Tax bills for households with only one adult. However, a recent Cifas survey of 2,000 UK adults found that 1 in 6 (16%) admitted to either falsely claiming the discount themselves or knowing someone who had done so in the past year. 

With rising Council Tax bills for many, Cifas’ Fraud Behaviours Survey found that dishonestly claiming SPD remains one of the ‘most common’ types of first-party fraud, alongside falsifying CV qualifications (18%) and retail non-delivery fraud (19%). The study further revealed: 

• 9% of respondents deemed falsely claiming SPD as ‘reasonable’ 

• 13% mistakenly believed this type of fraud was legal, a 1% increase from 2023 

• 28% of 25-34-year-olds were the most likely to have dishonestly claimed the discount 

With tomorrow marking ‘National Honesty Day’ (30 April), Cifas is calling on individuals to act with integrity. 

Rachael Tiffen, Director of Public Sector for Cifas, comments: ‘First-party fraud isn’t a harmless crime – it’s harmful. At a time when many households are feeling the squeeze of rising council tax bills, it’s more important than ever to recognise that council tax fraud, including false claims for Single Person Discount, puts vital local services at risk. It can also result in serious consequences for those individuals who act dishonestly. 

‘Fraud against the public purse diverts funding away from the very communities that need it most. We understand times are tough, and that’s why it’s so important to support residents during challenging times without resorting to fraud. Ensuring people can report suspected fraud quickly and anonymously remains crucial.’ 

Overall, nearly half (48%) of respondents said it was ‘reasonable’ to commit first party fraud. Discover more from the latest Cifas Fraud Behaviours Survey. 

ENDS 

Notes to Editors 

For more information, please contact Hayley Paterson, Cifas Press and PR Manager, on 020 4551 7072 or press@cifas.org.uk. 

Survey methodology 

The survey was carried out by Opinion Matters on behalf of Cifas with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK people between 22-28 May 2024. 

About Cifas 

Cifas is the UK’s leading not-for-profit fraud prevention service with over 775 members from across key economic sectors including banking, retail, insurance, and telecoms. Cifas protects businesses and individuals from fraud through the sharing of data and intelligence sharing between the private, public and third sectors. In addition to providing products and services which help businesses prevent more than £1.8bn in fraud losses each year, Cifas delivers specialist training through its Cifas Fraud and Cyber Academy and Digital Learning programme. 

 Website | LinkedIn | X 

About Opinion Matters 

Opinion Matters is an independent market research agency that create bespoke market research solutions for businesses, organisations, and agencies worldwide.  Opinion Matters abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles. 

Contact us at press@cifas.org.uk