The National Fraud Initiative

As public bodies, Northamptonshire Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority, Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and Northamptonshire Police are required to protect the funds they administer and, as such, may share information with other bodies responsible for; auditing or administering public funds, or where undertaking a public function, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

All three organisations separately participate in the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative, a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud.  They are required to provide particular sets of data to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for matching for each exercise.

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body to see how they compare.  This is usually personal information.  Computerised data matching allows 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 as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.

The Cabinet Office is responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.  The use of data by the Cabinet Office in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.

Data matching by the Cabinet Office is subject to a Code of Practice. Should you wish to know more information on this Fair Processing Notice please see the more detailed full text. View further information on the Cabinet Office’s legal powers and the reasons why it matches particular information.