Between 2024 – 2025, the NHSCFA received a total of 6,462 reports alleging fraud, bribery, and corruption against the NHS in England. This is a slight increase when compared with the 6,367 reports received between 2023 - 2024.
| 2024 - 2025 | 2023 - 2024 | 2022 - 2023 | 2021 - 2022 | 2020 - 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 - 20256,462 | 2023 - 20246,367 | 2022 - 20235,048 | 2021 - 20225,814 | 2020 - 20214,524 |
There was an increase of 95 reports compared with 2023 – 2024. It is possible that with 59% of people in 2024 reporting they are dissatisfied with the NHS, individuals may look for ways to improve the situation, including through reporting fraudulent activity. Furthermore, the cost-of-living crisis and global landscape could influence reporting patterns.
| Thematic area | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data manipulation | 14 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 25 |
| Dental contractor | 91 | 85 | 74 | 63 | 74 |
| Fraudulent access | 290 | 310 | 297 | 405 | 387 |
| GP contractor | 149 | 160 | 173 | 183 | 233 |
| NHS Bursary | 26 | 19 | 57 | 54 | 23 |
| NHS Pensions | 16 | 12 | 25 | 28 | 31 |
| NHS staff | 1,828 | 2,375 | 2,537 | 2,963 | 3,211 |
| Optical contractor | 11 | 24 | 22 | 28 | 41 |
| Patient exemption | 912 | 1,056 | 871 | 1,404 | 1,238 |
| Pharmaceutical contractor | 107 | 157 | 99 | 201 | 238 |
| Procurement & commissioning | 528 | 1,210 | 645 | 723 | 537 |
| Reciprocal healthcare | 21 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
| blue | = top four highest reporting levels |
| grey | = an increase in reporting compared to the previous year |
Top four reported areas
The NHSCFA received 6,462 reports in 2024 – 2025, of which approximately 83.2% related to the top four thematic areas of NHS staff fraud, patient exemption fraud, procurement and commissioning fraud, and fraudulent access to NHS care from overseas visitors.
NHS staff fraud
3,211
Reports received
Patient exemption
fraud
1,238
Reports received
Procurement and
commissioning fraud
537
Reports received
Fraudulent access
to NHS care
from overseas visitors
387
Reports received
Reporting has increased by around 1.5% when compared with 2023 - 2024, an increase in all but five thematic areas: patient exemption fraud, procurement and commissioning fraud, fraudulent access to NHS care from overseas visitors, NHS bursary fraud, and reciprocal healthcare fraud. Although, as mentioned above three of these areas remain in the top highest reported areas for 2024 - 2025.
NHS staff fraud continues to be the area with the highest reporting figure of 3,211, showing an increase of 8.4% when compared to the previous year 2023 – 2024 receiving 2,963 reports. Reporting equates to almost 50% of all the reports received by the NHSCFA between 2024 - 2025 and could be a direct result of oversight from colleagues and the public/patients. Of the 3,211 reports, false income and hours accounted for 62.6%, suspicious insider activity accounted for 16.2%, and declaration accounted for 9.7%. The highest reported modus operandi within staff fraud were staff:
- working whilst on sick leave
- inflating income by falsely claiming for hours and services not worked
- working elsewhere during NHS contracted hours
- presenting false references, qualifications, and medical certificates during the recruitment process
The second highest level of reports received was within patient exemption fraud with 1,238, a decrease of 11.8% compared to the 2023 - 2024. However, in 2023 – 2024 reporting had increased which was likely due to patient registration anomalies and suspected identity fraud reports being received because of vaccination letters mistakenly being sent to incorrect addresses.
The onward trade of prescription medication for personal gain was one of the most prevalent MOs, with 27.8% of reports relating to patients legitimately obtaining prescriptions for controlled drugs and intentionally selling unwanted or unused medication, or exchanging them for more commonly misused recreational drugs, with use of another person’s identity also highly reported this annum. Another trend occurring was charge evasion, whereby patients intentionally evade charges for paid NHS services like Prescriptions, Dental treatment and Optical costs, with 91.5% of these reports relating exclusively to Prescription charge evasion.
Reporting for procurement and commissioning of services fraud has decreased from 723 reports to 537, this may be due to an increased awareness through NHSCFA interventions, such as fraud reference guides. Priority projects could have impacted on reporting through more effective oversight and deterrence. This decrease can be seen within post contract reports, with the largest changes in false invoices and false validation. There has been a decrease in unsolicited requests which incorporates allegations of false invoices, phishing emails, telephone calls and office supply scams. These fraud types have been previously signposted by the NHSCFA as potential areas of vulnerability. Similarly, mandate fraud reporting has decreased. Conversely, allegations around telephone scams, fraudulent text messages and misuse of the NHS logo, have increased to the highest levels in the past five years. Pre-tender fraud areas, such as staff and contractor collusion have consistent reporting numbers over the previous five years.
Fraudulent access to NHS care from overseas visitors has experienced a decrease when compared to the previous annum of 405 reports. Individuals returning to/entering the UK with the specific intent of accessing secondary care without charge was the most reported MO in this thematic area, making up around half of the total number of reports. Individuals falsely representing themselves to gain access to NHS care without charge whilst in the UK was the next highest reported MO. Receiving primary care, including prescriptions, whilst residing abroad was reported to be occurring.