National Fraud Initiative (NFI)

 

The National Fraud Initiative is a data-matching exercise that helps detect and prevent fraud and overpayments from the public purse across the UK.

 

The National Fraud Initiative (NFI) matches data across organisations and systems to help public bodies identify fraud and overpayments. Since its commencement in 1996, NFI exercises have resulted in the detection and prevention of more than £22 million of fraud and overpayments in Wales and £939 million across the UK.

The NFI 2010-11, resulted in the detection and prevention of overpayments worth £6 million. Forty-three Welsh public sector bodies took part in the exercise, including local authorities, police authorities, fire authorities, probation boards and NHS bodies, the Welsh Government, Cardiff University, the Wales Audit Office and other public sector auditors.

Since NFI began in 1996, it has led to the elimination of many long-standing, high value frauds. The latest exercise demonstrates that NFI continues to be a highly effective counter-fraud tool. The Auditor General's NFI reports provides further information about the exercise, including a summary of the findings and case studies illustrating the types of fraud and error overpayments found in each exercise.

The NFI runs every two years, and for further information about the next exercise please contact Kate Febry (WAO NFI Manager) on 029 2032 0616 or nfi@wao.gov.uk.