Avis sur le projet de loi relatif à la lutte contre les fraudes sociales et fiscales

Date of article: 31/10/2025

Daily News of: 04/11/2025

Country:  France

Author: National Ombudsman of France

Article language: fr

Le 14 octobre 2025, le Gouvernement a déposé au Sénat un projet de loi relatif à la lutte contre les fraudes sociales et fiscales. Dans un avis au Parlement publié le 31 octobre 2025, la Défenseure des droits fait part de ses analyses et recommandations.

Les objectifs annoncés du projet de loi

Selon l’exposé des motifs, l’objectif poursuivi par le projet de loi est de mettre fin aux fraudes aux finances publiques qui constituent une atteinte au pacte républicain, affaiblissent la confiance des citoyens, fragilisent la justice sociale, pèsent sur les finances publiques et compromettent la trajectoire de désendettement de la Nation.

Le projet de loi propose 3 leviers d’action :

  • La détection des fraudes : approfondissement de la mise en commun des informations entre administrations (articles 2 à 9) et renforcement des moyens d'enquête des organismes de sécurité sociale (articles 10 à 12)
  • Les sanctions : réduction des possibilités de perception frauduleuse de revenus, renforcement de la cohérence des sanctions (articles 13 à 15) et alourdissement des sanctions administratives et pénales (articles 16 à 20)
  • Le recouvrement : amélioration du recouvrement des sommes frauduleusement versées (articles 21 à 27)

Des risques d’atteintes aux droits et libertés

L’avis 25-08 de la Défenseure des droits souligne la légitimité des objectifs de lutte contre la fraude en matière fiscale et de protection sociale qui constituent des objectifs à valeur constitutionnelle mais regrette la focalisation exclusivement répressive de ce texte qui risque d’aggraver le phénomène de non-recours aux droits, aujourd'hui bien plus massif que la fraude sociale elle-même (le taux de non-recours aux prestations sociales est estimé autour de 30 %, contre 3,2 % pour la fraude détectée ou non).

La Défenseure des droits identifie plusieurs dispositions susceptibles de porter atteinte aux droits et libertés :

Extension des prérogatives des structures départementales en charge du handicap et de l’autonomie en matière de lutte contre la fraude

L’article 6 du projet de loi vise à confier aux maison départementales des personnes handicapées (MDPH) et aux services départementaux en charge de l'autonomie de nouvelles compétences pour lutter contre la fraude.

La Défenseure des droits souligne que la fraude aux prestations liées au handicap et à l'autonomie est marginale (1,46 % de la fraude aux prestations sociales) et que les MDPH sont déjà en sous-effectifs et peinent à offrir un service de qualité à leurs bénéficiaires.

L'ajout d'une mission supplémentaire sans moyens supplémentaires risque de dégrader davantage le service rendu par ces structures et l’accompagnement dont bénéficient les personnes en situation de handicap et de perte d’autonomie.

Extension du droit de communication aux caisses primaires d'assurance maladie (CPAM)

Le projet de loi prévoit des mesures pour renforcer les échanges d’informations entre les administrations à des fins de lutte contre la fraude fiscale.

Depuis 2008, un « droit de communication » permet aux agents des organismes de sécurité sociale de vérifier auprès d’un tiers les informations déclarées par l’allocataire. 

L’article 10 du projet de loi prévoir d’étendre le recours au droit de communication aux directeurs des caisses primaires d'assurance maladie et aux agents placés sous leur responsabilité agissant en matière de lutte contre la fraude.

Pour la Défenseure des droits, compte tenu de la nature des informations recueillies et de l'ingérence dans la vie privée qui en résulte, ce droit de communication devrait être entouré de garanties renforcées. En particulier, dès la demande de prestation, le demandeur devrait être informée de la possibilité pour l’administration d’exercer cette prérogative.

Limitation du versement des allocations de chômage sur des comptes bancaires domiciliés en France ou dans la « zone euro ».

L’article 13 du projet de loi prévoit que les allocations de chômage soumises à condition de résidence en France ne peuvent être versées par France Travail que sur des comptes domiciliés en France ou dans l'espace unique de paiement en euros de l'Union européenne.

Cette disposition s’oppose au principe de prohibition des discriminations sur le fondement de la domiciliation bancaire établi par la loi du 27 mai 2008. Par ailleurs, France Travail pouvant contrôler le respect de la condition de résidence en France par d'autres moyens, cette mesure n'est ni nécessaire, ni appropriée.

Interdiction du cumul entre revenus illicites et assurance chômage 

Le projet de loi prohibe le cumul des produits tirés d'activités illicites avec les allocations chômage.

Cette disposition présente deux risques :

  • Un risque de privation injustifiée de droits : France Travail se fondera sur des informations transmises par l'administration fiscale, elles-mêmes issues de constatations réalisées dans le cadre de procédures judiciaires sans attendre que la condamnation pénale soit définitive. Des décisions administratives pourraient ainsi être prises sur le fondement d'éléments ultérieurement écartés par la justice.
  • Une portée incertaine : la rédaction actuelle ne permet pas de déterminer si le demandeur d'emploi serait privé de l'ensemble de ses prestations ou si le montant serait simplement réduit à hauteur des revenus illicites. Dans la première hypothèse, il ne s'agirait plus de récupérer des sommes indues mais de sanctionner administrativement, sans respecter les droits de la défense.

La Défenseure des droits recommande de prévoir le réexamen de la situation en présence de nouveaux éléments (jugement pénal définitif, annulation de la décision fiscale…), y compris plusieurs années après le recouvrement.

Elle recommande de préciser que le montant des allocations est réduit uniquement à hauteur des revenus illicites effectivement constatés

Amélioration du recouvrement des fraudes aux allocations de chômage

L'article 27 du projet propose de permettre à France Travail de réaliser des saisies à tiers détenteurs et des retenues intégrales des versements à venir en cas de « manquement délibéré » ou de « manœuvres frauduleuses ».

Ces notions ne correspondent pas aux qualifications expressément prévues par la réglementation de l’assurance chômage qui ne mentionne que les fraudes ou fausses déclarations et induisent un risque d’incertitude juridique. La Défenseure des droits recommande donc d’harmoniser les qualifications utilisées.

Par ailleurs, le texte prévoit la retenue intégrale des versements à venir en cas de fraude avérée. Cette pratique porterait atteinte au droit à des moyens convenables d'existence.

En synthèse, la Défenseure des droits appelle à un rééquilibrage du projet de loi entre répression de la fraude et protection des droits des usagers. La lutte contre la fraude ne peut se faire au détriment de ces droits et notamment du droit à des moyens convenables d'existence et des droits de la défense, sous peine d'aggraver le phénomène déjà massif de non-recours aux droits sociaux.

Consulter l'avis 25-08

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Significant failings by Cardiff and Flintshire Councils in responding to complaints about damp and mould

Date of article: 30/10/2025

Daily News of: 30/10/2025

Country:  United Kingdom - Wales

Author: Public Services Ombudsman for Wales

Article language: en

We publish today two public interest reports concerning signficant failings of Cardiff and Flintshire Councils in responding to repeated complaints from social housing tenants about damp and mould.

 

 

The first report finds that Cardiff Council missed numerous opportunities over nearly 4 years to properly investigate and resolve the causes of a significant leak and extensive damp and mould, resulting in devastating impact on the complainant and her family.

 

 

The second report concerns failings by Flintshire Council to appropriately respond to repeated reports of damp and mould, leaving a tenant and her children living for 5 months in unacceptable conditions.

 

Michelle Morris, the Ombudsman, said:

“Firstly, I want to acknowledge the impact of these failings on the complainants. A home should be a place of peace and safety – but for the people who brought these complaints to us, it became a hazard. The health impacts of damp and mould are well-documented, but its impact on family life can be no less devastating.

In October last year, I published a thematic report on how social landlords in Wales respond to request for repairs related to damp and mould. Sadly, we continue to see numerous cases highlighting similar failings.

The failings identified in these cases are ones from which other organisations can learn. It is for these reasons I consider these reports to be of wider public interest. I hope that the experiences of Ms C and Miss Y will serve as a powerful reminder to social landlords across Wales of the potentially devastating human impacts of delayed and inadequate responses to reports of disrepair or damp and mould.”

The First Report – Cardiff Council – 202404828

Our investigation uncovers devastating impact on a tenant renting from Cardiff Council whose property was allowed to fall ‘into an appalling state of disrepair’. The Council missed numerous opportunities over nearly 4 years to properly investigate and resolve the causes of a significant leak and extensive damp and mould.

 

The complaint

Ms C complained about the condition of the property she rented from Cardiff Council.  She complained that the Council did not respond to or act upon reports of leaks and extensive damp and mould at the property appropriately and in a timely manner. She also complained that, after the property was identified as not fit for human habitation, the Council did not carry out repair works in a timely manner nor make reasonable efforts to provide alternative accommodation for Ms C’s family.

 

What we found

We found that the Council was aware of the presence of damp and mould in April 2021 and over several years Ms C had made multiple reports of a significant leak from the bathroom causing damage to the kitchen ceiling.  By March 2024 the property had fallen into an appalling state of disrepair.

We also found that there were further avoidable delays in arranging necessary repairs after the Council formally decided that the property was not fit for human habitation in July 2024.

Ms C and 2 of her daughters spent many months living in unsuitable conditions with her elderly mother without access to a home which was fit for them to live in.

“The service failures uncovered in our investigation had a devastating impact on Ms C and her family.  The damp and mould posed significant hazards to the health of Ms C and her family, and damaged or destroyed many of the family’s possessions.  The despair of living in such poor conditions over a long period appeared to have contributed to the slow disintegration of the family unit to the point that all family members had moved out. 

Sadly it is impossible to undo the serious injustices done to Ms C and her family by the failings described in this report.  Nevertheless, I acknowledge the Council’s constructive engagement with our investigation and the positive and proactive approach it had taken since May 2024 to improving the way it responds to reports of disrepair and damp and mould.”

Michelle Morris, the Ombudsman, said:

Our recommendations

We made a number of recommendations, all of which the Council accepted. These included apologising to Ms C and providing her with £3,000 in financial redress. The Council was also advised to remind Responsive Repairs Unit staff of the importance of treating all tenants with respect and compassion, particularly regarding complex repairs and issues with damp and mould.

Additionally, the Council was asked to provide us with evidence of review outcomes and action plans, including responses to the thematic disrepair and damp report. It was also asked to identify any other tenants affected by systemic issues and provide redress where needed, and to carry out an equality impact assessment of its repair and damp and mould policies.

The Second Report – Flintshire County Council – 202401983

We uphold a complaint against Flintshire County Council as tenant and her children were left living for 5 months in ‘unacceptable conditions’. The Council failed to appropriately respond to repeated reports of damp and mould, as well as act in a timely manner once the extent of the works needed was known.

 

The complaint

Miss Y complained about the way her landlord, Flintshire County Council, had responded to reports of damp and mould in her home and whether it had taken appropriate action to provide alternative accommodation.

 

What we found

The investigation found that the Council failed to identify that Miss Y had made numerous repair requests regarding the same issue.  Repair requests were treated in isolation.  Officers visited Miss Y’s home on numerous occasions to address new issues, whilst previous repair requests remained outstanding.  As such there were many missed opportunities to identify damp and mould and carry out work to address this.

The Council did not act in a timely manner once the extent of the works needed to Miss Y’s home was known.  Miss Y and her children were left living in unacceptable conditions for 5 months after the Council became aware of damp in her home.

“The failings identified in this investigation are significant. The Council missed opportunities to identify damp in Miss Y’s home sooner. When it became aware that extensive work in relation to damp was needed, it did not take timely action to secure alternative accommodation.

As a result, Miss Y and her children were left living in a home that the Council knew to be severely impacted by damp during some of the coldest months of the year.

Miss Y said that living in a home with damp and mould had led to both herself and her children suffering recurrent chest infections and that her youngest child had been diagnosed with asthma. Due to them becoming damaged by mould, Miss Y said that she had to dispose of furniture, clothing and other possessions.”

Michelle Morris, the Ombudsman, said

Our recommendations

We made several recommendations, all of which the Council accepted. These included apologising to Miss Y and providing an additional £1,258 in financial redress for the distress and the lost furniture and possessions, on top of the £500 already offered.

The Council was also asked to ensure Housing and Communities officers complete paperwork accurately, contact Miss Y to confirm any outstanding work with a completion schedule,  and develop processes to identify, record, and escalate repeated repair requests.

Further recommendations included creating guidance for assigning Tenant Liaison Officers, developing a more specific decant policy, and reviewing procedures for conducting and recording pre-letting inspections.

We noted that the Council has already made changes to its systems to address some of the failures identified.

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West Sussex removed care transport for disabled adult without proper consideration - Ombudsman

Date of article: 23/10/2025

Daily News of: 30/10/2025

Country:  United Kingdom - England

Author: Local Government Ombudsmen for England

Article language: en

West Sussex County Council will be inviting people to get in touch if they think the council's assessment of their needs has left them unable to access their day centre. This comes after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman highlighted concerns about how the council considered a family’s travel circumstances.

The council has agreed to put up notices in day centres to highlight that users may be eligible for a reassessment if they think they have not had their personal circumstances properly considered during their reviews, similar to the family in this case.

The family complained to the Ombudsman that the council stopped paying for a man’s transport to his day centre when the cost increased.

They said the council did not fully take into account their circumstances before deciding that the man should pay for the travel out of his Personal Independence Payment, because he had a Motability vehicle.

The family told the council they could not transport the man to the day centre, as the mother did not drive because of her own health concerns, and both parents had caring responsibilities for the man’s grandmother, who lived with them and needed two people to help her.

This meant the family had to find £80 per week to get the man from the day centre, putting strain on their budget.

The Ombudsman’s investigation found the council’s transport policy at fault, for having blanket directions that transport would not be funded if the recipient had a Motability car. This meant the council had no flexibility to take into account people’s individual circumstances when making a decision. The Ombudsman also found flaws in the council’s appeal process, including links to documents that did not work.

Mrs Amerdeep Clarke, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

“The council has told us it did not review the family’s circumstances solely to reduce their support, but its notes provide no evidence it asked any questions about services other than transport to the day centre.

“In this case the council failed to look at the man – or his family’s circumstances – holistically, and did not consider alternative options for them, including moving the man to a nearer day centre, or suggesting alternative arrangements for getting him there.

“I am concerned that other people in the county may have been affected by decisions hampered by this restrictive policy, so I have asked the council to highlight this to day centre users.

“I am pleased the council has accepted the recommendations I have made, and has already started to review this family’s situation.”

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman remedies injustice and shares learning from investigations to help improve public, and adult social care, services. In this case the council has agreed to apologise to the family and pay them £250 for the uncertainty caused. It will also, if not already completed, review the man’s needs, and complete carer’s assessments for his parents.

The Ombudsman has the power to make recommendations to improve processes for the wider public. In this case the council will review parts of its transport policy so it is in line with the Care Act 2014, and provide a notice at local day centres encouraging others who think they may have been affected to contact the council for more information.

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Firmato l’Accordo tra Difensore Civico del Lazio e VIVE per promuovere la cittadinanza attiva nelle scuole

Date of article: 27/10/2025

Daily News of: 30/10/2025

Country:  Italy - Lazio

Author: Regional Ombudsman of Lazio

Article language: it

Un’intesa per educare i giovani ai valori della Repubblica e alla tutela dei diritti attraverso visite guidate al Vittoriano.

Il Difensore Civico della Regione Lazio, Marino Fardelli, e la Direttrice Generale del VIVE – Vittoriano e Palazzo VeneziaEdith Gabrielli, hanno sottoscritto un Accordo di collaborazione istituzionale volto a promuovere iniziative di educazione alla cittadinanza attiva, alla tutela dei diritti e alla valorizzazione dei luoghi simbolici della democrazia italiana.

L’intesa, firmata a Roma il 22 ottobre 2025, rinnova e rafforza la cooperazione già avviata nel 2024 in occasione dei 45 anni della Difesa Civica della Regione Lazio e prevede nuove attività condivise nell’ambito della terza edizione del progetto “Il Difensore Civico tra i banchi di scuola”, promosso in collaborazione con l’Ufficio Scolastico Regionale.

Un percorso per le scuole

Grazie all’accordo, gli studenti delle classi quarte e quinte degli istituti secondari di secondo grado del Lazio potranno partecipare, durante l’anno scolastico 2025/2026, a visite guidate gratuite al Vittoriano, luogo simbolo dell’Unità nazionale e dei valori costituzionali.
L’iniziativa mira a far conoscere ai giovani i principi fondanti della Repubblica, il significato dei diritti e dei doveri di cittadinanza e il ruolo del Difensore Civico come garante della legalità e della buona amministrazione.

Un impegno comune per i diritti e la cultura civica

Il Difensore Civico del Lazio metterà a disposizione proprie risorse umane e organizzative per la realizzazione delle attività, mentre il VIVE assicurerà la fruizione e la valorizzazione dei propri spazi, nel rispetto delle regole di tutela e sicurezza.
Entrambe le istituzioni si impegnano a promuovere l’immagine condivisa dell’iniziativa, nel segno della collaborazione tra cultura e cittadinanza attiva.

“Questo accordo – ha dichiarato Marino Fardelli – rappresenta un ponte tra le istituzioni e le nuove generazioni: portare i ragazzi nei luoghi simbolo della nostra Repubblica significa educarli al rispetto dei diritti e alla partecipazione democratica.”

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La Difesa civica alla Giornata delle porte aperte a Innsbruck con il progetto “Una salute a misura di cittadino”

Date of article: 30/10/2025

Daily News of: 30/10/2025

Country:  Italy - Bolzano

Author: Regional Ombudsman of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano

Article language: it

La Giornata delle porte aperte di domenica scorsa a Innsbruck è stata interamente dedicata all’Euregio Tirolo-Alto Adige-Trentino: la Difesa civica altoatesina ha partecipato con il progetto “Una salute a misura di cittadino”.

La Giornata delle porte aperte organizzata domenica scorsa a Innsbruck dal Land Tirol si è svolta nel segno dell’Euregio Tirolo-Alto Adige-Trentino. Durante l’evento, sono stati presentati progetti transfrontalieri e collaborazioni già esistenti tra le tre aree dell’Euregio in settori molto diversi.

In quest’ambito, è stato presentato il progetto “Bürgernahe Gesundheit – Una salute a misura di cittadino”, cui hanno lavorato, nell’ambito dell’iniziativa Interreg “Fit for Cooperation” promossa proprio dall’Euregio, la Difesa civica dell’Alto Adige, la Difesa civica del Trentino e la Difesa dei pazienti del Tirolo.

Il pubblico è stato attirato in particolare dalla “Via della salute”, con modelli di organi giganti e percorribili, allestita presso il Landhaus 1 (Palazzo provinciale 1) con gli altri partner del progetto: la Federazione per il Sociale e la Sanità / Dachverband für Soziales und Gesundheit dell’Alto Adige e l’associazione Selbsthilfe Tirol. Inoltre, è stata offerta consulenza gratuita a tutte le persone interessate, e c’è stata la possibilità di conoscere organizzazioni di pazienti e gruppi di auto-aiuto delle tre regioni dell’Euregio, con le quali prendere contatto.  “Obiettivo comune della collaborazione tra i partner del progetto”, spiega la Difensora civica Veronika Meyer, “è stato quello di avvicinare la popolazione dell’Euregio ai propri diritti in ambito sanitario, rafforzare la consapevolezza delle opportunità offerte dall’assistenza sanitaria transfrontaliera e facilitare l’accesso ai servizi. La partecipazione dei Paesi dell’Euregio Tirolo, Alto Adige e Trentino alla Giornata delle porte aperte a Innsbruck ha rappresentato un contributo concreto in tal senso”.

Nell’ambito del progetto congiunto è stata inoltre elaborata la brochure informativa “Grenzenlos gesund – Salute senza confini”: “Questa brochure rappresenta per cittadine e cittadini una guida chiara sui diritti dei pazienti e sulle offerte di consulenza in ambito sanitario a sud e a nord del Brennero. Verrà presentata prossimamente in una conferenza stampa dedicata”, conclude Meyer.

In merito ai diritti dei e delle pazienti e all'assistenza sanitaria, la Difesa civica altoatesina offre consulenza a cadenza regolare presso gli ospedali di Bressanne, Brunico e Merano. 

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Link to the Ombudsman Daily News archives from 2002 to 20 October 2011