Recommendation 29

DWP is investing some £70 million to March 2025 in expanding its use of advanced analytics to tackle fraud. This includes using machine learning algorithms to flag potentially fraudulent benefit claims. DWP has already piloted an algorithm to detect fraudulent Universal Credit advances claims.68 The NAO reports that DWP is now actively developing similar tools for the four main risk areas of Universal Credit. We have reported previously that DWP could be more transparent in its use of machine learning in order to support public trust in the fairness of the benefit system.69