Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to tackle people fraudulently claiming Personal Independence Payments.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP is committed to tackling fraud and error in the benefits system and to the recovery of debts, including those generated by Personal Independent Payments.
Working closely with counter fraud experts, the DWP has introduced measures to prevent fraud entering the system based on the types of cases and trends we have seen, for example:
- Strengthening the Identity and Verification Process to prevent fraudulent cases entering the system
- Introducing more rigorous checks for customers changing personal details, including bank accounts
- Delivering awareness sessions for Case Managers and Healthcare Professionals, reinforcing action to take when suspicious cases are identified, eg fake documents
DWP is delivering against key counter fraud activity, including investing in counter fraud professionals and building data analytical capabilities. The new Fraud, Error and Debt Bill will bring forward new measures to tackle fraud in the system. Details on the measures Government will be legislating will be presented to Parliament in due course.
More information on how the department tackles fraud and error across all benefit streams can be found here: DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 (HTML) - GOV.UK
Feb. 24 2025
Source Page: Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill 2025: factsheetsFound: Factsheet: Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill Overview The Public Authorities
Feb. 24 2025
Source Page: Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill 2025: factsheetsFound: Factsheet: Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill Overview The Public Authorities
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many times her Department has used (a) section 71 and (b) section 71ZE of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 to recover assets from people found to have committed fraud in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has not recovered assets from the debtor, such as through a writ of possession or charging order, under either section 71 or section 71ZE of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 in the last five years. Debts under section 71 are currently recovered by deduction from benefit or a Direct Earnings Attachment. However, the Department does use The Proceeds Of Crime Act to recover assets following criminal prosecutions.
Found: Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill Written evidence to the House of Commons Public
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's policy not to initiate fraud investigations under £5,000 on public finances.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department is committed to using public money in an effective and efficient manner to pursue criminality where it is suspected. The value of the expected overpayment is one factor in considering whether to undertake a criminal investigation, but any case where there is a suspicion of fraud can be investigated. Aggravating factors, such as the use of false identification or previous offending, will initiate a criminal investigation regardless of the value.
Where any overpayment has been identified, the claimant is required to repay all debts accrued.
Mentions:
1: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab - Life peer) That includes: fraud against our public services, including those who abuse the tax system; fraud by - Speech Link
2: Baroness Finn (Con - Life peer) The Government’s Explanatory Notes suggest that the Public Sector Fraud Authority will focus on fraud - Speech Link
3: Baroness Kramer (LD - Life peer) Stamping out public sector fraud, including public authority and welfare fraud, is clearly a priority - Speech Link
4: Baroness Alexander of Cleveden (Lab - Life peer) credit, the fraud rate is 11%. - Speech Link
5: Baroness Coffey (Con - Life peer) fraud and error is now 3.3%. - Speech Link
Found: In the case of the most serious fraud debts the Debt Recovery Measure also includes the power to disqualify
Found: Response to a call for evidence on the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery)
Correspondence Feb. 04 2025
Committee: Public Accounts CommitteeFound: Today we introduced the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill to the House of Commons