Waltham Forest Council is intensifying its fight against fraud, with recent efforts focused on recovering misappropriated properties and cracking down on Blue Badge misuse. The 26 recovered properties are estimated to have a notional value of £1,716,000 and a new build value of £6,500,000.

The Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) achieved notable results between 1 April 2025 and 31 August 2025, according to the Corporate Anti-Fraud Team Progress Update Report 2025-26, including:

  • Recovery of 26 properties.
  • Prevention of two fraudulent Right-To-Buy applications.
  • Seizure or cancellation of 136 Blue Badges, leading to 18 successful prosecutions.
  • Issuance of 54 civil financial penalty notices to private landlords for failing to meet minimum property standards. The council expects landlords to have a good understanding of the housing standards and management issues that should be met in privately rented accommodation and refers to the Council's guide to minimum property standards.
  • Identification of total cashable savings of £49,580.

The report also noted that two council employees received written warnings following investigations, and one officer resigned after a 'Formal Caution' was issued for polygamous working.

The CAFT's work extends to various aspects of social housing fraud, including unlawful subletting, false information in housing applications, wrongful tenancy assignment, and falsely claiming Right to Buy discounts. The team uses data matching exercises and residency checks to identify potential fraud cases.

In addition to reactive investigations, CAFT is involved in proactive projects aimed at preventing and detecting fraud. These include data-matching, the introduction of new technology, and the review of procedures and documentation.

The council also participates in the National Fraud Initiative (NFI) and the London Fraud Hub (LFH) to identify and prevent fraud across different areas. Through the LFH, Waltham Forest Council identified overpayments totalling £234,900 during the reporting period.

The Audit and Governance Committee continues to monitor these efforts to ensure accountability and transparency in the council's operations.