Benefits

You should contact the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) who will advise if you need to report the loss to the police.

Losing your benefit money can be very distressing. Here are some tips on how to keep your money safe:

Get the money paid into your bank account so that you won't have to carry around a lot of cash.

When you cash your giro, put the money in different places so that if you do lose it, you won't have lost all of your money.

Do not walk down the street counting your money after you have cashed your giro, this is inviting theft/loss.

There are some unscrupulous people who spend all their benefit money and then claim to have lost it in order to get more money. This is a serious offence and if you know someone who is committing Benefit Fraud then telephone the National Benefit Fraud Helpline on 0800 854 440 between 7 am and 11 pm, 7 days a week.

You can report your benefit book missing to the police who will inform you if it is handed in.

Also, report the loss to the Department of Work and Pensions so that they are aware in case anyone tries to use your book.

There are some unscrupulous people who spend all their benefit money and then claim to have lost their benefit book in order to get more money. This is a serious offence and if you know someone who is committing Benefit Fraud then telephone the National Benefit Fraud Helpline on 0800 854 4400 between 7 am and 11 pm, 7 days a week.