Checks of Welsh public-sector records identified £8.7 million in fraud, overpayments, errors and estimated savings, Audit Wales said. The total covers results recorded from April 2024 to March 2026 and is the highest reported in the past five National Fraud Initiative rounds.
The figure does not mean £8.7 million has been recovered: £2.8 million relates to identified fraud, overpayments and errors, while £5.9 million represents estimated future losses prevented. By the end of March 2026, public bodies said £2.5 million had been recovered or was being recovered.
Council tax single-person discounts made up £3 million of the total, including £1.2 million in discounts received by people who were not eligible. Auditors warned that delays in investigating flagged cases could leave public money at risk. The initiative compares records to identify possible discrepancies; a match alone does not establish wrongdoing.
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