Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the Government has made of the financial and health effects of doorstep and telephone scams on vulnerable older people.

There has not been a comprehensive assessment of the overall financial and health effects of fraud. However, Action Fraud assesses the vulnerability of victims based on the financial and health impact of the reported fraud, and provides this information to forces. This enables police forces to make targeted interventions with those most at risk. Action Fraud are currently developing a victim strategy which will provide an enhanced service to all victims of fraud.

The Care Act, introduced this year, also places a new statutory requirement for all local areas to have a Safeguarding Adult Board, the police, local authority and Clinical Commissioning Group are the core statutory members of these boards. The Safeguarding Adults Board’s remit is to work to protect people with care and support needs from all forms of harm, including financial harm. Being the victim of fraud can have a serious detrimental effect on health and well-being. The Safeguarding Adult Board are tasked with understanding the situation locally and developing preventative strategies.