Response 3522559

Response to request for information

Reference

3522559

Response date

11 July 2024

Request

1. When are you next going through an audit of the national fraud initiative?
2. What current procedures do you have in place such as confirmation of payee against fraud?
3. What is your current confirmation of payee software incumbent product & the renewal date of the contract.

Response

1. When are you next going through an audit of the national fraud initiative?
   

   We will be due to submit data later this Financial Year (around October time)

2. What current procedures do you have in place such as confirmation of payee against fraud?
   

   The 3 main departments that pay monies out from the authority are Revenues, Benefits and Finance.

   Revenues-Will pay monies out in relation to refunds for Council Tax/NNDR but monies are returned back on the same methods that the payment has come in from.

   Benefits-Due to Universal Credit these payments relate to existing claimants and so they are paid to details we already hold on the account which will have been provided as part of the original claim applications.

   Finance-When paying suppliers we must receive written bank details (Company Letterhead is the main document) however we then use an alternative source to contact the company and verify the bank details prior to these being entered onto the supplier’s account.

   Finance also processes the payroll of staff, Details are provided by the individuals 

3. What is your current confirmation of payee software incumbent product & the renewal date of the contract.
   

   Our current system provider is Bottomline Technologies, and our current contract expires in January 2025.