Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of Action Fraud.

Tackling fraud is a priority for this government. Making it easier and more efficient for the public to report fraud is central to our efforts.

In light of advances to technology, growing demand on the service and an independent review by Sir Craig Mackey exploring the performance and function of Action Fraud, we are providing over £30 million to City of London Police over the next three years to support the upgrade of the Action Fraud service.

The upgrade is already underway, with improvements so far including more staff, better trained staff and vulnerable victims being prioritised. In 2023, a new, user-friendly, accessible reporting tool and website will be launched, offering an improved victim experience and simpler pathways to access further support and guidance.

The new service is expected to be fully operational by 2024. The upgrades will provide better support services and reporting tools for victims, produce greater intelligence and insight for policing so they can investigate more frauds, and allow for greater prevention and disruption at scale using this intelligence.