Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Rejected
The Department has repeatedly linked the high level of benefit fraud since the pandemic to...
Conclusion
The Department has repeatedly linked the high level of benefit fraud since the pandemic to an increase in the propensity to commit fraud in society more generally. It told us “there is no doubt” that underlying fraud in society is going up, and that the fraud and error in the benefit system remained at record levels in part because “the tide is rising” and it was battling against it.18 We challenged the Department on its evidence for this belief. It asserted that this view was based on what it has seen “across Government and indeed internationally”, and the British Social Attitudes Survey, but did not provide further detail and admitted it was “difficult not to be anecdotal”.19 Claimants’ engagement with the benefit system
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the committee's recommendation and believes there is a well-established methodology for dealing with customers who do not co-operate with the benefit review process. They are seeking to understand better how it might change benefit policy, process, or service design to prevent this type of customer fraud in the future and continually review all of its customer letters.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 2.2 There is a well-established and accepted methodology for dealing with customers who do not co-operate with the benefit review process and should not be receiving benefit. These customer’s claims are classed as customer fraud, for fraud and error measurement and reporting purposes. The department continues to gain further understanding of these customers, their circumstances, their behaviours and how they came to be in receipt of benefits in the first place. The department does not expect to find a different outcome than customer fraud but wants to understand better how it might change benefit policy, process, or service design to prevent this type of customer fraud in the future. 2.3 With regards to communications, the department continually reviews all of its customer letters to ensure they are consistent, understandable, and clear. This work is led by communication professionals. Customer letters relating to the sampling exercise are subject to the same approach and seek to strike the right balance between encouraging compliance with the process but also the ability to deal with customer fraud if it is uncovered.