Debate contribution: Social Housing Fraud

Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on 15 June 2026.

MLA: Mr Gordon Lyons
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 15 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution (made as a minister)
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Social Housing Fraud
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5614124

Text

My Department undertook two exercises — in 2015 and 2016 — to establish a baseline. Those were reported on at the time. Those exercises did not successfully identify a level of undetected fraud. We have been collecting data from social landlords on tenancy fraud and misuse since then, but I want to see improvements to how data is collected on suspected fraud, confirmed fraud and recoveries. A report on social housing fraud in England, 'Lost homes, lost hope', published in 2023, estimated that one in 30 homes is subject to some form of tenancy fraud, with many cases going undetected. The NIAO has recommended that we establish an evidence-based estimate of undetected fraud. That will require further work, but we are committed to doing that.

125 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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