The Counter Fraud in the Public Sector Conference 2026
Previous Supporters include:
Overview
As public bodies face increasing financial pressures and rising levels of fraud, the need for stronger counter-fraud measures is more urgent than ever. Fraud and error are diverting billions from essential services, stretching already pressured systems. With criminals becoming more sophisticated and exploiting new vulnerabilities, the Public Authorities Fraud, Error and Recovery Bill 2025 strengthens government-wide defences by giving organisations clearer powers to investigate, prevent and recover losses. Public sector bodies must now build more resilient systems and cultures to protect public funds and maintain trust.
Agenda
Registration
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Dr Cerian Griffiths, Associate Professor, Northumbria School of Law (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: Fraud, Error and Risk Across Government
- Reviewing the latest NAO data on fraud and error
- Understanding high-risk areas and systemic vulnerabilities
- Improving financial stewardship and fraud prevention mechanisms
- Strengthening internal controls and governance across public bodies
Christopher Barrett, Senior Manager of Fraud and Propriety, National Audit Office (CONFIRMED)
Keynote: Insider Fraud Threats in Public Sector Organisations
- Reviewing recent trends and data highlighting the prevalence of insider fraud in public sector organisations, including the growing number of reported cases
- Identifying warning signs that staff may pose a fraud risk, such as unusual access to systems, unexplained lifestyle changes, reluctance to take leave, or bypassing internal controls
- Discussing strategies to mitigate insider fraud
- Key tips on how to build a culture of counter-fraud within your workforce
Rachael Tiffen, Director of Public Sector and Learning, Cifas (CONFIRMED)
Questions & Answers
Comfort Break
Keynote: Cyber Hygiene in the Age of AI Scams
- Beyond the Bait: How Cyber Hygiene Defeats the Art of the Scam.
- Whilst we focus on AI-threats, don’t forget the basics
- Emerging threats and continued trends overview-phishing
- CRC cyber services to prevent fraud
Richard Morrison-Butcher, Director, Cyber Resilience Centre for London (CONFIRMED)
Session Coming Soon
Richard Rippin, Associate Director for Operational Services, NHS Counter Fraud Authority (CONFIRMED)
Questions & Answers
Lunch Break
Case Study: Tackling Risk of Procurement Fraud in Local Government
- Identifying common procurement fraud risks across the commissioning, tendering and contract management lifecycle
- Recognising the vulnerabilities that enable fraud, including commercial capability and contract management
- Exploring how preventative, detective and responsive internal controls can be embedded to reduce risk and support resilience
- Examining how councils can move from reactive detection to fraud prevention
Laura Hough, Trustee, Fraud Advisory Panel (CONFIRMED)
Case Study: Tackling Housing Fraud: Preventing Tenancy and Right-to-Buy Abuse
- Examining how fraudulent or misleading Right-to-Buy applications can undermine housing policy objectives and divert public subsidy away from those it is intended to support
- Understanding the risks to housing programmes where tenancy status, occupancy or eligibility information is misrepresented
- Exploring how public bodies, housing providers and investigators can work together to identify and prevent abuse across housing schemes
- Considering how stronger assurance can help safeguard public investment in housing
Stewart Brown, Senior Manager Counter Fraud and Investigations, Homes England (CONFIRMED)
Questions & Answers
Breakout Networking: Building a Joined-Up Counter Fraud Community
Use this opportunity to discuss any recent fraud cases, emerging patterns, or operational challenges your organisation has encountered, and share insights on how cross-sector collaboration could have improved detection or response.
Comfort Break
Keynote: Counter-Fraud Resilience During Local Government Re-Organisation and Making Best Use of Unlawful Profit Orders
- Embedding counter-fraud resilience into local government reorganisation plans
- Strengthening governance and maintaining fraud intelligence continuity during change
- Leveraging UPOs to recover public funds and reinforce tenancy enforcement
- Creating a unified fraud prevention culture through organisational transition
Scott Warner, Counter Fraud Manager, Oxford City Council (CONFIRMED)
Case Study: Strengthening Data Sharing Across Local Councils
- Local Authority Counter Fraud Report 2025 – Key Findings regarding Local Government Counter-Fraud Response
- Identifying the core challenges that limit effective data sharing between local authorities
- Examining governance requirements alongside ethical frameworks and privacy safeguards
- Cross-sector data-sharing opportunities that may improve fraud detection and support faster disruption
Lavinia Ferguson Dean, Membership and Communications Manager, National Anti-Fraud Network (CONFIRMED)
Case Study: The Health Impact of Fraud on Victims
- Examining how fraud causes significant harm beyond financial loss, positioning it as a public health issue
- Identifying common health impacts on victims, including anxiety and longer-term mental health challenges
- Recognising the factors that influence severity of harm, such as fraud type, and individual vulnerability
- Exploring how organisations can adopt preventative and trauma-informed approaches to better identify harm and support victim recovery
Dr Michael Skidmore, Head of Serious Crime Research, The Police Foundation (CONFIRMED)
Questions & Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Dr Cerian Griffiths, Associate Professor, Northumbria School of Law (CONFIRMED)
Conference Close
Get in Touch
Previous Speakers
Dr Rasha Kassem
Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Leader of the Fraud Research Group
Aston University
Frances Coulson
Deputy Chair, Fraud Advisory Panel and Partner
Wedlake Bell
Rachael Tiffen
Director of Public Sector and Learning
Cifas
Dr David Shepherd
Senior Lecturer Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime
University of Portsmouth
Testimonials
Great event with the opportunity to keep up to date on the latest development, training and insights on public sector fraud and how the various sectors and organisations collaborate to tackle incidences.
Good range of speakers and subjects covered.
A good event for providing an overview and the scale of the threat of fraud to the public sector with good advice on how to begin to tackle the issue.
A really good session with relevant topics and speakers on public sector fraud.
Why You Should Attend?
- Gain up-to-date insights on the evolving fraud landscape
- Learn practical strategies to strengthen prevention, detection and organisational culture
- Hear real-world examples of successful counter-fraud interventions across the public sector
- Discover how data and technology can improve fraud resilience
- Gain 8 hours of CPD points towards your yearly quota
Who Should Attend?
| Job Title Example | Organisation Examples |
| Directors of Compliance | Healthcare Services |
| Fraud & Investigations manager | Local Authorities |
| Forensic Accountant | Universities |
| Audit Manager | Public Benefit Providers |
| Counter Fraud Specialists | Information Commissioners |
| Head of Economic Crime | Counter Fraud Organisations |
| Corporate Fraud Manager | Police |
Pricing Options
PRIVATE SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
PUBLIC SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
VOLUNTARY SECTOR
Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you: Full access to the conference; E-guide; Networking opportunities during the day; Access to presentations post conference; 8 CPD Points.
Sponsorship
Raise Your Profile, Showcase Your Solutions, Generate New Business
If your products, services, and solutions can support our audiences in their roles, and you want to make connections and generate new business with key stakeholders, decision makers, and influencers, then please contact us HERE
IMPORTANT: There are only a small number of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure maximum exposure and ROI – contact us today to secure your place.
Virtual vs F2F
Whilst F2F provide better options for networking, there are many distinct advantages of sponsoring our online conferences including:
- Wider geographical reach of delegates and a different audience who prefer online to f2f
- Lower sponsorship package costs
- No travel/accommodation
- Less time out of the office
- No stand materials required (lower costs)
- 1 of only 2 sponsors involved – less competition on the day
- Prime speaking slot in the morning of the conference including Q&A – less distractions and easier for delegates to hear/absorb information
- Receive all delegate data after the conference to follow-up directly with those who attend and don’t attend (small % but still key stakeholders)
- Ongoing exposure via OnDemand access (coming soon)
To find out more and discuss your specific objectives, please contact us below:
