Department for Education
The DfE's Education and Skills Funding Agency leverages Clue’s advanced intelligence software to enhance fraud prevention, ensuring taxpayer funds are used to support high-quality education across the UK.
The Department for Education (DfE), through its executive agency, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), oversees the allocation of over £70 billion annually to support learners across the UK.
Central to the ESFA’s mission is ensuring taxpayer funds are used as intended – providing high-quality education while safeguarding against fraud. Clue, a leader in intelligence and investigation management software, has become an invaluable tool for the agency’s Counter Fraud and Prevention Division.
The role of the ESFA in countering fraud
The ESFA’s mission sits on three outcomes: certainty, support, and assurance. The agency collaborates with schools, colleges and training providers to enhance financial oversight and ensure funds are not misused.
During 2023-2024, the ESFA prevented and detected £91 million in fraud. This is money that is intended to be used to support learners and the education sector, from improving existing or building new school buildings and enhancing the quality and quantity of education available, to recruiting more teachers and providing more free school meals.
To counter fraud threats, the ESFA employs a combination of detailed risk assessments, proactive awareness campaigns, and advanced technological tools like Clue to identify vulnerabilities and enforce compliance.
Leveraging Clue for investigations
Clue plays a pivotal role in how the ESFA manages fraud investigations. The software is used from the initial reporting of allegations through to case outcome. By consolidating all investigative data, Clue enables the ESFA to analyse patterns and cross-reference findings across cases. This centralised data repository offers actionable insights into the fraud landscape, informing the agency’s strategic priorities.
One of Clue’s key strengths is its commitment to continuous innovation, particularly in integrating responsible AI to streamline investigative workflows and insights. This forward-looking strategy aligns with the ESFA’s ambition to leverage advanced technology to detect and prevent fraud. By incorporating AI, Clue aims to further enhance its analytical capabilities, empowering users like the ESFA to identify risks, links and patterns more effectively.
Clue also supports the ESFA in recording and analysing lessons learned from past investigations. This feature has strengthened the agency’s ability to refine fraud prevention measures, ensuring that previous vulnerabilities are addressed effectively. Clue’s ability to integrate with tools such as Power BI further enhances data visualisation and supports a nuanced understanding of fraud trends.
The adoption of Clue has significantly bolstered the ESFA’s efforts to protect the UK education sector from fraud. By streamlining investigations, offering valuable intelligence and innovating with AI, Clue supports the agency’s mission to ensure every pound of funding enhances learning opportunities and maintains public trust in the education system.
Learn more about Clue for counter fraud and economic crime.
