"DWP fraud & error reporting to include state pensions for the first time since 2005"

[dutchman]

Claimants of certain benefits may need to prepare for questioning from the state



Today, the DWP revealed how future reporting will be conducted and their announcement detailed some benefit claimants will be affected for the first time in years.

These types of benefit reviews were suspended in March 2020 as a result of the pandemic but they were restarted in July 2020, focusing initially on Universal Credit.

DWP also confirmed that for the 2021 to 2022 financial year, they intend to measure the following benefits for fraud and error:

• Universal Credit
  
• Housing benefit (working age, non-passported cases)
  
• Employment and support allowance
  
• Pension credit
  
• State pension
  
• Attendance allowance

This is important to note as it will be the first time that attendance allowance has been reviewed.

Additionally, it will be the first time state pension has been reviewed for claimant error and fraud since 2005 to 2006.

DWP confirmed all benefit reviews for the coming year will be carried out by telephone rather than by a home visit.

This change affects all the benefits previously listed except for Universal Credit.

According to the DWP's latest analysis, state pension is the benefit with the highest expenditure overall, with £98.8 billion being spent in 2019 to 2020.

This equated to over half of the total spend.

Despite this, as a benefit it had the lowest rate of overpayments at 0.1 percent.

[dutchman]

I'm curious as to how you can "investigate" state pension fraud over the telephone?

"This is the DWP calling, are you over sixty-six years of age?"

"Yes I am"

"Fair enough, case closed."