DWP can do more to understand how fraud and error gets into the benefits system, and what can be done to tackle it.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, benefit overpayments have increased to new levels we haven’t seen before.

A new record was set in 2021-22 and the rate of fraud and error hasn’t dropped much since. The Department for Work and Pensions' estimates show that 3.7% of benefit spending was overpaid last year, compared with 2.4% in 2019-20, meaning it now pays out over £9.5bn in benefits that people aren’t entitled to. At the same time, DWP estimates that underpayments, where people receive less money than they’re eligible for, have increased to £4.2 billion.

https://www.civilserviceworld.com/in-depth/article/eyes-on-the-prize-tackling-fraud-and-error-to-build-public-trust-in-our-benefit-system