Ten council homes have been recovered and two workers sacked following fraud investigations by Ealing Council, with cases valued at more than £500,000 uncovered in just three months.
The investigations took place between April and June 2026, the first three months of the council’s 2026/27 financial year.
Of 139 investigations completed during that time, fraud was found in 21 cases, which the council valued at £524,000. The vast majority of this — £504,000 — was the council’s estimate of how much had been saved by stopping fraud, while £20,000 related to money actually lost.
Housing accounted for most of the estimated savings. Ten council homes were recovered following investigations, which the council valued at £420,000. Four applications for council homes were also refused, valued at £20,000, while a rejected Right to Buy application was put at £16,000.
Three of the homes were recovered after investigations into applications to take over an existing council tenancy.
Two council workers were also dismissed following fraud investigations, with the council putting the estimated saving at £48,000.
Investigators also stopped four council tax discounts, adding £4,596 to accounts, and found £15,638 in council tax reduction overpayments which can now be pursued for repayment.
Checks on people applying to work for the council also resulted in five cases either failing or being stopped from progressing. Reasons for people failing the checks have included benefit and council tax fraud, housing fraud, false employment histories, false references and false qualifications.
Separate fraud checks since April have produced estimated savings of £392,000. This includes £330,000 from stopping pension payments following deaths, £55,000 from cancelled Blue Badges and £6,000 from cancelled council tax reduction claims.
The council says a further £872,000 has been saved through the wider National Fraud Initiative since December 2024.
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, Councillor Steve Donnelly, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for inclusive economy and efficiency, said: “This report provides a great example of the important work we are doing to tackle fraud.
“The misuse of public money has a direct impact on our ability to support residents who are in genuine need and we are committed to ensuring public funds is safeguarded so it can be spent where it is most needed.
“Our fraud team takes a proactive approach to preventing, identifying and investigating wrongdoing working diligently to investigate suspicious cases and we will always take the strongest action we can to deter others from committing the same acts.”
