Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department takes to verify the name, address, personal and financial circumstances of new universal credit claimants applying online.

DWP take the security of Universal Credit very seriously, including verifying who our claimants are. We continue to work closely with Government Digital Service to support the success of the Verify online system. The high standards of ID verification achieved by Verify are used on our UC Full Service today in addition to a face-to-face alternative approach.

We may also ask for separate documentary evidence, ask biometric questions based on data the department holds, or contact trusted third parties (such as a doctor) in order to verify a claimants identity and establish other personal and financial circumstances necessary for the processing of a Universal Credit claim.