Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of introducing increased reimbursement requirements for victims of fraud.

Tackling the threat of fraud and supporting victims is a top priority for this government.

Reimbursement to victims remains an important way of mitigating the impact of fraud and incentivising industry to tackle the threat. The government and relevant regulators are continuously monitoring and reviewing the reimbursement regime to ensure its efficacy. More broadly, whilst reimbursement falls to payment service providers, we have used voluntary measures to work faster with tech companies to make sure their resources are deployed where the biggest difference will be made to disrupt fraud. This is in addition to underpinning telecommunications and online regulation enforced by Ofcom.

The government also recognises that the impact of fraud goes beyond financial losses, as victims can suffer serious financial and emotional harm. That is why we have taken various steps to improve the victim support system. This includes rolling out the National Economic Crime Victim Care unit to all police forces in England and Wales and improving the service victims receive. A revised fraud strategy will be produced in early 2026.