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Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

Tackling fraud and error in benefit expenditure 2024-25

Status: Open Opened: 10 Jul 2025 14 recommendations 16 conclusions 1 report

In 2023-24, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spent £268.5bn on benefit and pension payments. That same year, the National Audit Office (NAO) reported that benefit overpayments by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) were at £9.7bn, their highest ever level in cash terms, with the majority of overpayments accounted for by Universal …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
66th Report - Tackling fraud and error in benefit expenditu… HC 1231 11 Feb 2026 30 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
8 Recommendation 66th Report - Tackling fraud and error … Rejected

Challenges in controlling Universal Credit fraud relating to household composition persist

We asked the Department about its controls to prevent fraud and error, particularly in relation to Universal Credit. It said that, because it was monitoring controls, it was able to identify where there were possible weaknesses and make continuous improvements. It noted that it was harder to have effective controls …

Government response. The government disagrees with setting a more stretching ambition for reducing overpayment rate until it agrees with the NAO on what constitutes a cost-effective control environment, but aims to reduce fraud and error levels to 2.8% by 2028-29.
HM Treasury
9 Recommendation 66th Report - Tackling fraud and error … Rejected

Cost-effective controls vital for DWP to achieve unqualified audit opinion

Demonstrating that it has a cost-effective control environment could help the Department move towards an unqualified audit opinion on its accounts.16 We made clear our desire to be involved in conversations with the Department and the C&AG about how the Department might get to a position where the long-standing qualification …

Government response. The government disagrees with setting a more stretching ambition for reducing overpayment rate until it agrees with the NAO on what constitutes a cost-effective control environment, but aims to reduce fraud and error levels to 2.8% by 2028-29.
HM Treasury
26 Conclusion 66th Report - Tackling fraud and error … Rejected

DWP to explore providing more feedback to public fraud reporters within legal confines.

We also asked the Department how it communicates with members of the public who raise concerns about potential cases of fraud, in particular what it tells them about how the cases have been resolved. The Department acknowledged the importance of ensuring that people feel raising a concern is worthwhile, and …

Government response. The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation as there is generally no lawful basis to disclose investigation progress or results to third parties due to the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation, however the department continues …
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
4 Dec 2025 Neil Couling CBE · Department of Work and Pensions, Sir Peter Schofield KCB · Department for Work and Pensions, Vikki Knight · Department of Work and Pensions View ↗

Correspondence

6 letters
DateDirectionTitle
21 May 2026 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Work and …
12 Mar 2026 To cttee Letter from the Director General Public Spending at HM Treasury relating to the…
2 Feb 2026 To cttee Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions rel…
8 Jan 2026 To cttee Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions rel…
8 Jan 2026 To cttee Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions rel…
4 Dec 2025 To cttee Letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Work and Pensions rela…