Fraud: Victim Support Schemes

(asked on 15th October 2021) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the deliverables set out in the Government's Economic crime plan: statement of progress, published in April 2021, what progress her Department has made on (a) reviewing the national support provided to victims of fraud and (b) testing innovative approaches to improve that support.


Answered by
Damian Hinds Portrait
Damian Hinds
Minister of State (Education)
This question was answered on 20th October 2021

HMG are making significant progress delivering the Economic Crime Plan 2019-2022. Of the 52 actions, 24 actions are complete with a further 26 in progress expected to be delivered by their delivery dates which are set out in the Economic Crime Plan Statement of Progress published in May 2021.

There are 2 actions (17 and 29) that are currently forecast to be overdue against the planned delivery dates although there has been considerable progress on both actions. These are:

  • Action 17 (led by HM Treasury): HMG continues to consider the most proportionate response to this action and will be engaging industry in the coming months.
  • Action 29 Build our Government Counter Fraud Profession (led by Cabinet Office): The Profession continues to be developed and includes more than 6,800 members. A project is underway to open membership of the profession more widely, using a knowledge check to ensure that those wishing to join the Profession meet the standard. The Profession is creating a new awarding body, which will assess learning providers and approve their courses and qualifications, aligned to the Profession standards. New Professional Standards are being written for the Prevention discipline. A new programme of learning and development for senior counter fraud leads is being developed and will be piloted with a first cohort by the end of March 2022.

In collaboration with the Serious Fraud Office, the Home Office has established the Victims of Fraud Working Group, bringing together key stakeholders working with victims of fraud and cyber crime from across government, law enforcement, charities and voluntary organisations. This group met for the second time in September. The group is building a better understanding of the national fraud landscape to help understand a victim’s journey and how their needs can be met.

The Home Office is supporting National Trading Standards in the national rollout of Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH). The hubs are in the process of being rolled out within England and Wales and will improve the quality of victim care available to local fraud victims by establishing a holistic multi-agency support service that listens to victims and works with them to address their immediate and longer-term needs.

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