Pensions: Fraud
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of pension scam cases reported in each year since 2021.
Answered by Torsten Bell
Data from Action Fraud indicates that reported levels of pensions fraud have increased since 2021, rising from 296 cases in 2021 to 517 cases in 2025. However, this should not be taken as evidence of a corresponding rise in underlying criminal activity. Pensions fraud is inherently difficult to quantify, with often significant time lags between the fraudulent activity occurring and it being detected, meaning reported figures may include historic cases and may not reflect current risk.
Enhanced due diligence introduced through the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Conditions for Transfers) Regulations 2021, alongside clearer escalation pathways, has strengthened the identification and reporting of suspected fraud, which may in part account for the increase in recorded cases.
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