Information on how we use personal data to help prevent fraud.
By law, we must protect the public funds we administer. We may share information provided to us with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, to prevent and detect fraud.
The Cabinet Office is responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.
About data matching
Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same, or another body, to see how far they match. This is usually personal information.
Computerised data matching allow potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified.
Where a match is found it may indicate that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation.
No assumption can be made about whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.
Cabinet Office's National Fraud Initiative
We take part in the Cabinet Office's National Fraud Initiative: a data matching exercise to help prevent and detect fraud. We have to provide particular sets of data to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for data matching. You can find more details on the National Fraud Initiative page on the GOV.UK website.
The Cabinet Office carries out data matching exercises under the statuary authorities Part 6 of the Local Audit Accountability Act 2014. It does not have to have the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998.
The Cabinet Office is subject to a code of practice. For more details, please see the Code of data matching practice for the National Fraud Initiative page on the GOV.UK website.
You can also find more information on the National Fraud Initiative privacy notice page on the GOV.UK website.
For more information on data matching, please contact us using the details below.
Contact us