National Fraud Initiative (NFI)

Why we are providing this notice to you

The Council is required by law to protect the public funds we administer and as a result, to ensure that taxpayers’ money is not taken out of the system fraudulently. 

This notice is designed to give you information about the data we hold about you, how we use it, your rights in relation to it and the safeguards that are in place to protect it.

What personal data we hold

In order to perform this task, we can collate a variety of data we already hold about you. For further information please refer to the Council’s full Privacy Notice.

Organisations we share your personal data with

To prevent and detect fraud, we may share information provided to us with other bodies responsible for auditing and administering public funds, such as the Cabinet Office, Department for Work and Pensions or other Council’s. 

The Auditor General for Wales (the Auditor General) reviews the accounts of The Council and requires us to participate in data matching exercises to help in the prevention and detection of fraud. 

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body, to see how far they match. This is usually personal information. 

This kind of data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims/payments to be identified. A match can identify a variation 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.  We are required to provide specific sets of data to the Auditor General for matching for each exercise and these are set out in the Wales Audit Office guidance.​​​​

The use of data by the Auditor General is carried out under his powers in Part 3 of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the General Data Protection Regulation. 

Data matching by the Audit General is subject to a Code of Practice.

For further information on the Auditor General’s legal powers and the reasons why it matches particular information, see Fair Processing Notices.

Contacting Us / Data Protection Officer

If you have any concerns relating to the National Fraud Initiative, please contact the Data Protection Officer for further information.

Data Protection Officer
Civic Centre
Pontypool
NP4 6YB