Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will take steps to ensure that attendance allowance forms can be submitted electronically.
Answered by Laura Trott - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Attendance Allowance is currently in the private beta phase of development, where DWP are inviting a limited number of people to use the online claim service, so feedback can be gathered to improve the service. We will look to move from trialling to public beta in due course.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who are not claiming benefits to which they are entitled.
Answered by Guy Opperman
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 5616.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department uses (a) automated or (b) partially automated technologies to (i) investigate benefit claimants or claims and (ii) select or refer benefit claimant or claims for possible investigation.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
You ask: whether his Department uses (a) automated or (b) partially automated technologies to (i) investigate benefit claimants or claims.
The department does not use (a) automated or (b) partially automated technologies to (i) investigate benefit claimants or claims.
You further ask: whether his Department uses (a) automated or (b) partially automated technologies to select or refer benefit claimant or claims for possible investigation?
Yes, DWP’s Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service uses automated/partially automated technologies to identify claims that may warrant closer inspection (or may need additional consideration), assisting in the prevention and detection of fraud and error. It is right that we keep up with fraud in today’s digital age so that we can prevent, detect and deter those who would try to exploit the benefit system and more importantly, improve our support for genuine claimants. Any risk of fraud or error identified is reviewed by a trained member of staff and this is only one of a number of verification steps which will have to be cleared before an investigation is begun or before a claim is paid.
A decision to investigate a claimant is always made by a case handler who would take into account all relevant facts and circumstances.
Where automated technologies are used, DWP is always committed to processing data lawfully, proportionately, and ethically, with meaningful human input and safeguards for the protection of individuals.
We do not use automated technologies to replace human judgement to determine or deny a payment to a claimant. A human agent will always make final decisions and Equality and Data Protection Impact Assessments are carried out.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of people who do not claim benefits to which they are entitled.
Answered by Guy Opperman
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 9 May to PQ 183412.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how her Department defines benefit fraud.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
The definition of fraud and error is set out in our publication on the Monetary Value of Fraud and Error in the benefits system. It defines benefit fraud as cases where the following three conditions apply:
The ‘background information’ section of our National Statistics publication provides further information.
Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2021 to 2022 estimates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any claimants who have had their claim suspended by the Risk Review Team have subsequently been convicted of fraud in the last six months.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Information on the number of claimants convicted of fraud after having their claim suspended by the Department’s Risk Review Team is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Since the beginning of December 2022, the Risk Review Team have reinstated 627 cases that were previously suspended.
The Risk Review Team currently have 108,362 cases suspended.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many customer cases have been reinstated following suspension by the Risk Review Team in the last six months.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Information on the number of claimants convicted of fraud after having their claim suspended by the Department’s Risk Review Team is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Since the beginning of December 2022, the Risk Review Team have reinstated 627 cases that were previously suspended.
The Risk Review Team currently have 108,362 cases suspended.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claims are suspended by the Risk Review Team.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
Information on the number of claimants convicted of fraud after having their claim suspended by the Department’s Risk Review Team is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Since the beginning of December 2022, the Risk Review Team have reinstated 627 cases that were previously suspended.
The Risk Review Team currently have 108,362 cases suspended.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2023 to Question 169368, what guidance his Department offers to advice and assistance work coaches on claimants who are subject to the benefit cap but not expected to seek employment because their circumstances prevent them from working.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Universal Credit guidance is available for work coaches and also published in the House of Commons library. The department is committed to refreshing these at regular intervals.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2023 to Question 169369 on Social Security Benefits, for what reason people who are found not fit to work but not in receipt of the severe disability premium are subject to the benefit cap.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Many claimants who have a health condition choose to work. This is why the department continues to provide support to those claimants not exempt from the benefit cap to help prepare and move into or towards work.