9 April 2020

Don’t be taken in by fraudsters and scammers

Fraudsters and scammers will be trying to take advantage of those who are anxiously waiting for financial support to come through. Be very wary if anyone contacts you via phone, email, post or text claiming to be from the government, HMRC or any other body such as a local council or bank. In addition, fraudsters have been registering websites with names such as 'Coronavirus Compensation Ltd' - use only the official gov.uk website.

The government has published guidelines to help you avoid scammers and fraudsters during the coronavirus crisis. Do take the time to read it. It explains what correspondence you can expect to receive and how to tell if an email or text is fraudulent.

Claim for Universal Credit

The government has announced that people who are making a claim for Universal Credit should not call the Department of Work & Pensions about their Universal Credit claim. They will call you if they need to clarify anything.

The government says its aim is to reduce worry and frustration and put an end to people waiting for long periods of time to get through on the phone.

New government videos

The government has posted two new videos:

Prevent legionella

Our FAQ about keeping your premises safe while they are closed now includes advice about preventing legionella.

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