We are required by law to protect the public funds we manage. Sometimes, we may share information that has been provided to us with other organisations that are responsible for auditing or managing public funds, to aid the prevention and detection of fraud.
How it works
Under the National Fraud Initiative (NFI), the Cabinet Office takes responsibility within government for public sector efficiency and reform. It conducts data matching exercises to aid the prevention and detection of fraud.
Data matching
Data matching involves comparing sets of data, such as the payroll or benefits records of an organisation, against the equivalent records held by the same or another body to see how far they match. The data is usually personal information. Data matching makes it easier for potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified.
Where a match is found, it may indicate that there is an inconsistency that requires further investigation. No assumption can be made about whether or not the match is considered fraud, error, or another explanation until an investigation is carried out.
The processing of data by the Cabinet Office in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under its powers in Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. It does not require the consent of individuals concerned under data protection legislation or the GDPR.
Find out more
You can learn more about the data matching work that the NFI does by reading the Code of Data Matching Practice for the National Fraud Initiative.
Find more information on your rights and how your personal data might be used by reading the National Fraud Initiative Privacy Notice.