Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the 40 benefit-related investigations reported in the Department for Work and Pensions Annual Report and Accounts 2025–26 resulted in (a) dismissal, (b) referral to the police and (c) criminal proceedings.

The Government Internal Audit Agency undertakes independent, internal disciplinary investigations on behalf of the DWP into allegations of internal fraud and other serious misconduct.

Of the 40 benefit-related investigations completed by GIAA in 2025-26, 39 related to DWP employees and one related to an individual employed by an outsourced provider.

To avoid prejudicing ongoing investigations and to comply with data protection obligations, the Department is unable to provide further information on individual cases, including details of the benefits involved, the nature of the misconduct, the number of claimants affected, disciplinary outcomes, criminal referrals, criminal proceedings, or amounts recovered or written off.

Information relating to any successful criminal convictions becomes publicly available through the courts.

The Department takes its responsibility for protecting the public purse extremely seriously and seeks to recover losses arising from internal fraud wherever possible. The Department has a range of debt recovery powers available, including recovery of assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act.