The National Fraud Authority is conducting a survey of fraud in the charity sector "to improve understanding of the problem".

A selection of charities have been invited to respond with the results being used in the NFA's Annual Fraud Indicator Report published next year. Charity fraud research "has been a regular feature of the AFI" said the Home Office, adding that last year a survey by the NFA found that charities could be losing £1.1bn to fraud.

Sam Younger, chief executive of the Charity Commission assisted with the research for the latest survey. He said: "We fully support the National Fraud Authority in raising awareness of, and helping to combat fraud in charities. This survey will provide more up-to-date data regarding the harm caused by fraud across the sector."

Earlier this month the Action Fraud reporting system was rolled out across the UK. The launch now means that all incidents of fraud and financially-motivated cyber crime in the UK should be reported to Action Fraud, run by the National Fraud Authority, rather than to local police forces.