Tackling benefit fraud and error: PAC asks how DWP can improve accuracy of payments

Thursday 4^th December, 10am, Grimond Room, Portcullis House

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold a scrutiny session on tackling fraud and error in benefit expenditure at 10am on Thursday 4^th December 2025.

The evidence session is likely to focus on three key initiatives that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has put in place to prevent and detect benefit overpayments – the use of machine learning; the Targeted Case Review of Universal Credit claims, which had reviewed 1.15m claims at March 2025, with estimated savings of c. £581m but finding only 20% of claims incorrect; and the use of new legal powers including eligibility verification compelling banks to provide information to help verify a claimant's entitlement.

The Committee will take evidence from senior DWP officials as it scrutinises the Department's strategy and funding for tackling benefit overpayments. Other likely topics of scrutiny will be benefit underpayments and unfulfilled eligibility, with DWP estimating that claimants received 1.7% (£4.9bn) less than they were eligible for in 2024-25, up from 1.6% (£4.2bn) in 2023-24.

Witnesses from 10am: 

• Sir Peter Schofield KCB, Permanent Secretary at Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Neil Couling CBE, Director General, Fraud, Disability and Health at DWP
• Vikki Knight, Director of Fraud, Error and Debt Strategy at DWP