Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a financial compensation scheme for victims of fraud who have been taxed on money stolen from them.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Where taxpayers may have been victims of fraud, HMRC considers the correct response for each taxpayer’s case based on the unique set of circumstances they present. Where HMRC finds evidence of fraud, they work closely with the relevant authorities such as the police and the Serious Fraud Office and will share information to support their investigations.

HMRC has a range of options to support those who require extra help, including victims of fraud, and has guidance and training in place for all advisors on how to identify customers who need extra help.

Where appropriate, HMRC will also signpost taxpayers to voluntary and community organisations.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of HMRC's policies on supporting victims of fraud.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Where taxpayers may have been victims of fraud, HMRC considers the correct response for each taxpayer’s case based on the unique set of circumstances they present. Where HMRC finds evidence of fraud, they work closely with the relevant authorities such as the police and the Serious Fraud Office and will share information to support their investigations.

HMRC has a range of options to support those who require extra help, including victims of fraud, and has guidance and training in place for all advisors on how to identify customers who need extra help.

Where appropriate, HMRC will also signpost taxpayers to voluntary and community organisations.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what processes are in place to help victims of fraud recover lost (a) funds and (b) assets when the fraud is committed (i) online and (ii) by international scammers.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what long-term programs are available to help fraud victims regain financial stability after a fraud incident.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of (a) legal and (b) financial advice for victims of fraud.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what legal protections are available to fraud victims to prevent further (a) exploitation and (b) financial loss.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to raise awareness of (a) fraud and (b) fraud prevention.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department coordinates with the Solicitor General to ensure victims of fraud receive the financial protection and support they need during criminal investigations.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the Sentencing Council on the adequacy of sentencing guidelines in relation to perpetrators of fraud.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure police officers have training specifically on (a) tackling fraud and (b) fraud prevention.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of fraud on the economy.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many instances of online fraud were reported to the police in the 2023-24 financial year.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to working with law enforcement, civil society and industry to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime.

Frauds with a total financial loss of £2.4 billion were reported to Action Fraud between November 2023 and November 2024. NFIB Dashboard (Public) (arcgis.com) This is likely to underestimate the full impact of fraud to the economy as fraud is underreported.

According to the Action Fraud Dashboard as of the 20th of December 2024, in its reporting period of 13-months, 64% of reported fraud was cyber enabled. This means that in the last 13-months, roughly 223,000 reported frauds were cyber-enabled. The Action Fraud dashboard only provides data for the last 13-months therefore does not cover the whole of the 23/24 period. NFIB Dashboard (Public)

Victims of fraud can suffer both serious financial and emotional harm. The Code of Practice for Victims sets out the services and a minimum standard of services that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations in England and Wales.

In addition to support offered by investigating offers, the Home Office has supported the rollout of the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU). This is a focused and targeted service providing victims of fraud and cyber crime, with not only a consistent and high-quality response, but also a national standard of care and support. The aim of NECVCU is for victims to feel safe and more confident following contact, whilst assisting them to cope and recover from the crime and significantly reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation. Since its inception in 2018, NECVCU has supported 440,994 victims of fraud. Since January 2021, NECVCU has also helped victims recover £3,685,201.

The Home Office has provided funding to City of London Police to create a coordinated police Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Authorised Push Payment scams came into force in October, ensuring more victims get their money back. Reimbursement was already in place for victims of unauthorised fraud.

In addition, the Proceeds of Crime Act (‘POCA’) allows the recovery of the proceeds of crime from criminals and returns the funds to victims, or back into law enforcement and prosecution agencies. Seized assets can be returned to victims at sentencing through a ‘compensation order’ that compensates loss or damage caused by the convicted person, including for fraud offences. Victims can also apply for any criminal funds that have been seized by law enforcement to be returned to them where they are the original owner.

The Home Office also continues to engage with banks, trade organisations and third sector organisations to ensure proper advice and support for victims of fraud. Our “Stop! Think Fraud” campaign helps people spot and avoid fraud, and provides fraud prevention and recovery advice. Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

The Home Office and College of Policing are reviewing the fundamental training offered to police officers with regards to tackling fraud, including digital skills, to identify opportunities for improvement. The Home Office is also working across law enforcement and the public sector to develop and deliver a “Workforce Strategy” for Economic Crime. This will address recruitment and retention challenges for Economic Crime, including fraud. This will also consider opportunities to exchange people and counter-fraud skills across the public and private sectors.

Sentencing guidelines are developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The Council is independent of Parliament and Government. As an independent body, the Council decides on its own priorities and work plan for producing and reviewing guidelines. The Lord Chancellor or the Court of Appeal can ask the Council to consider reviewing or producing guidelines in a particular area, but the Council is not required to agree to any such requests.

The Sentencing Guidelines for Fraud Offences were published in 2014. The Council monitors and evaluates all definitive guidelines, as per its statutory duty to do so.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of transport services for school children with special educational needs in (a) Essex and (b) England.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department's ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The department’s home-to-school travel policy aims to make sure no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. The department is working to understand how well home-to-school transport supports all children to access educational opportunity.

Local authorities must arrange free home-to-school travel for children of compulsory school age who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs (SEN), disability or mobility problem, or because the route is unsafe. There are extended rights to free home-to-school travel for children from low-income families, aimed at helping them exercise school choice. We know that challenges in the wider SEN system are creating pressure on home-to-school travel. More children have education, health and care plans and more of them travel a long way to a school that can meet their needs. We are grateful to local authorities for their considerable efforts to ensure eligible children can continue to get to school.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, so fewer children need to travel long distances to a school that can meet their needs. This will reduce the pressure on home-to-school travel over time.

In addition, the government prioritised local government at the Autumn Budget 2024. We announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding in the 2025/26 financial year for local government to deliver core services, including home-to-school travel. The government recognises the challenges local authorities are facing. Together with local income from council tax and business rates, this will provide a real-terms increase in core spending power of around 3.2%.