This was one of the success stories in a recent crackdown on tenancy and Blue Badge fraud in West Lothian in the past ten months.

Councillors heard that of 21 reported Blue Badge fraud cases, 17 were confirmed between April and December 2025. Of a total of 16 reported cases of tenancy fraud, five were confirmed in the same period.

Details emerged during a round-up of all fraud cases investigated since April, as described to West Lothian Council’s Audit Committee, the Herald reports.

In his report to the committee Stuart Saunders, the council’s Audit, Risk and Counter Fraud Manager, said: “During the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 December 2025, the Counter Fraud Team closed 61 out of the 80 active investigations.

“Two cases were closed without having conducted an investigation and 19 investigations that were completed identified no evidence of fraud or irregularity. Fraud or irregularity was established in 40 investigations and 19 investigations were still in progress as at 31 December 2025.”

Mr Saunders said the increase in confirmed cases was down to the “quality of referrals”.