The Public Sector Fraud Authority: Legal Foundations, Policy Rationales, and Systemic Implications for UK Counter Fraud and Public Governance (Ref: RDF26/SC/LAW/GRIFFITHS2)

About the Project

The guardianship of public monies is gaining public scrutiny and rising up the policy agenda. Monies lost to fraud and error across the public sector are likewise becoming of greater concern, particularly post-austerity and in the light of economic constraints following Brexit and the Covid pandemic. 

Working with the Treasury, the body ultimately charged with protecting the public purse from fraud and error is the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office Counter Fraud Function evolved from a longer history of anti-fraud initiatives, gaining prominence following significant fraud losses identified across government. Recent initiatives introduced by the Cabinet Office include the establishment of cross public service counter-fraud standards (GovS 013), requiring all departments to assess and manage fraud risks systematically. Another major initiative introduced by the Cabinet Office in 2018 was the Government Counter Fraud Profession (GCFP), designed to develop professional capabilities and ensure skilled practitioners work throughout the public sector.

This momentum for change resulted more recently in the 2022 establishment of the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) which aimed to consolidate the government's strategic approach to combating fraud across all public sector organisations. Operating within the Cabinet Office, the PSFA serves as the government's centre of expertise for counter-fraud activity.

The most recent development of the government’s approach to public sector fraud is The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill, which aims to strengthen existing powers for preventing and recovering fraud and error across public services. The Bill is designed to introduce enhanced information-sharing between public authorities, improve data-matching powers and recovery mechanisms, and create a capability within the PSFA to provide counter fraud services directly to individual departments.

The PSFA's creation and forthcoming powers mark a paradigm shift toward centralised counter-fraud governance. Yet critical questions remain unexamined, such as the legal basis for the PSFA’s authority over autonomous public bodies, the policy drivers justifying centralisation over departmental autonomy, and implications for constitutional principles of ministerial responsibility and organisational independence. This project will explore these significant developments in counter-fraud policy and strategy across the public sector by answering the following question:

What are the legal foundations and policy rationale underpinning the PSFA, and what are the wider implications for accountability of individual departments for losses to fraud, and the development of counter fraud standards and practice?

The project’s research objectives will broadly be:

1. To analyse the legal framework establishing PSFA's powers, mandate, and enforcement mechanisms
2. To examine the policy rationale driving centralisation of counter fraud standards, practice, and services, including political, economic, and institutional factors
3. To assess practical and pragmatic consequences of the PSFA’s larger role, including accountability, data sharing, and inter-agency cooperation
4. To explore potential implications for other counter fraud frameworks across the public sector including NHS, local government, and arm's-length bodies.

The project will harness mixed methods, including doctrinal analysis of legislation and other legal mechanisms, such as mandates and directives, policy analysis, and empirical research, such as conducting semi-structured interviews with those working in policy and counter fraud (n=8). The project will draw on some comparative analysis with similar systems such as in Australia and Canada. 

The thesis will provide an original contribution to both academic literature and wider policy understandings by introducing a novel legal and policy analysis of the phenomenon of centralised counter-fraud governance in the public sector. With strong potential to feed into current projects and impact case studies in counter fraud across the University, this thesis will inform debates about effective counter fraud governance and practice in the public sector, processes and consequences of centralisation, and standard setting and implementation.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Academic excellence i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities with preference for 1st class honours); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement.

• Appropriate IELTS score, if required.

• Applicants cannot apply if they are already a PhD holder or if currently engaged in Doctoral study at Northumbria or elsewhere.

• Must be able to commit to campus-based full-time or part-time study. 

To be classed as a Home student, candidates must:

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or

• have settled status, or

• have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or

• have indefinite leave to remain or enter. 

If a candidate does not meet the criteria above, they would be classed as an International student. 

Applicants will need to be in the UK and fully enrolled before stipend payments can commence and be aware of the following additional costs that may be incurred, as these are not covered by the studentship. 

· Immigration Health Surcharge https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application

· If you need to apply for a Student Visa to enter the UK, please refer to https://www.gov.uk/student-visa. It is important that you read this information carefully as it is your responsibility to ensure that you hold the correct funds required for your visa application, otherwise your visa may be refused.

· Costs associated with English Language requirements which may be required for students not having completed a first degree in English, will not be paid by the University.

· International applicants (including EU) need to have their own valid immigration permissions to live and study in the UK if they wish to study on a part-time basis as Northumbria University does not sponsor part-time Student Visas. 

For further details on how to apply see https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/

In your application, please include a research proposal of approximately 1,000 words and the advert reference (e.g. RDF26/…). 

Deadline for applications: 23 January 2026 

Start date of course: 1st October 2026

Northumbria University is committed to creating an inclusive culture where we take pride in, and value, the diversity of our postgraduate research students. We encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community.

Academic Enquiries 

This project is supervised by Dr Cerian Griffiths. For informal queries, please contact cerian.griffiths@northumbria.ac.uk. For all other enquiries relating to eligibility or application process please use the email form below to contact Admissions.