Social security minister Stephen Timms has launched the government's first anti-fraud Web page.

Linked to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the site features information on government policy on benefit fraud, regional reports from the benefits fraud inspectorate and information for the public on how to report a welfare cheat.

It advises the public not to help people lie and cheat and "steal your money".

The ABI site has a search mechanism for finding out a wide variety of information about combating fraud.

The government hopes the site will encourage other organisations to "think about how they should address fraud risks".

"The linked Website will enable us to raise awareness of fraud issues, and find out what others are doing to tackle them," said Mr Timms.

He added that the Internet was "a direct and convenient way" of involving the public in the benefit fraud crackdown.

The site will be expanded with time.

Public confidence

"It is vital that the public has confidence in our ability to direct welfare resources where they can do the most good," said Mr Timms.

"We will be using our site to tell the public what we are doing to safeguard social security."

The launch of the Website came on the day the House of Commons debated the Welfare Reform Bill.

The Bill is aimed at encouraging disabled people who can to work, but contains controversial proposals to cut some benefits.

The Website can be found on http://www.dss.gov.uk/hq/bfraud.