Fraudsters may have stolen £500,000 from cladding removal fund, watchdog reveals

The National Audit Office found that as many as 60% of buildings across the country with dangerous cladding had yet to be identified. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images

Fraudsters may have stolen £500,000 from a taxpayer-funded scheme aimed at accelerating the removal of dangerous cladding from buildings, the public spending watchdog has revealed.

The National Audit Office said the government decision to prioritise speed in handing out money to building owners had increased its risk of losses from fraud.