A survey launched recently will examine the extent of detected fraud & corruption in England’s councils, police, fire and rescue and probation services. 

The Audit Commission is asking 500 organisations for data, in an effort to chart losses caused by fraud. 

The Commission’s regular update on its anti-fraud work, Protecting the Public Purse, published in September 2009, promised annual fraud surveys. 

The Fraud & Corruption survey is the first of these.

Derek Elliott, Head of Governance and Counter-fraud Unit, Audit Commission, said:
"The more data we have, the more effective we can be in stopping the undeserving from stealing taxpayers' cash.

"It has never been more important that councils fight fraud. Every pound lost to cheats is a pound that cannot be used by those most in need.

"We will use the survey results in the fight against fraud and corruption in public services, to raise awareness of fraud and to promote best practice in the public sector."

The survey will include information about areas where fraudsters tend to prey, including: the single person discount for council tax, unauthorised tenancies in social housing, procurement fraud, identity fraud, recruitment fraud and abuse of position or privilege. 

Protecting the Public Purse (PPP) 2010 will contain the survey results when it is published next year.