National Hunter and NAFN Partnership Blocks £6 Million in Right to Buy Fraud

Quick Summary

National Hunter and the National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) have successfully blocked over £6 million in fraudulent Right to Buy applications. By bridging the gap between public sector councils and private financial intelligence, the partnership secures social housing stock and prevents criminals from exploiting government home-ownership schemes.

How Does National Hunter Prevent Right to Buy Fraud?

National Hunter solves the critical intelligence gap for local authorities by providing a legally compliant gateway to financial data. Previously, investigators lacked the lawful means to verify the financial backgrounds of suspicious applicants, leaving public housing stock vulnerable to exploitation. Through this partnership, councils can now refer suspicious cases to NAFN, which then coordinates with National Hunter to perform retrospective intelligence searches.

• 48 councils currently utilize the anti-fraud service.
• 100 enquiries are processed on average every year.
• Direct mortgage links allow for intelligence sharing with specialist bank teams.

"Responsibly sharing intelligence across sectors creates better outcomes for everyone. By connecting local authorities with the financial services industry, we're helping to stop criminals using legitimate lenders to facilitate fraud against the public purse, while giving our members valuable intelligence that strengthens their own investigations." said Dave Rossi, Managing Director of National Hunter.

What Impact Does This Have on Public Housing?

The primary goal of the National Hunter partnership is to ensure that social housing remains available for those in genuine need. By preventing nearly £8 million in total fraudulent applications since 2017, the service protects the "public purse" from money laundering and subletting abuse. The framework has proven so effective that it was expanded in 2025 to cover shared ownership fraud, providing a scalable model for public-private data collaboration.

"It is and will always be a game changer. It has not only helped combat money laundering in the Right to Buy sphere but has opened up links to combat other types of fraud." added Paul Allen, Senior Investigation Officer, London Borough of Haringey Council.

FF NEWS TAKE:

This announcement moves the needle by demonstrating the massive ROI of cross-sector data sharing. In an era where application fraud is becoming more sophisticated, the ability for National Hunter to link local government with private banking intelligence is a blueprint for national security. Saving £6 million is significant, but the long-term value lies in the deterrence of organized crime within the UK housing market.