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The Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, Dame Anne Begg MP, has commented that there may be an increased risk of fraud with Universal Credit housing costs

'Through the use of RTI—real-time information on PAYE earnings—Universal Credit has the potential over the longer term to substantially reduce fraud and error in the benefits system. However, this could be seriously undermined because of the uncertainty about how DWP will administer the housing element of Universal Credit without increased risks of fraud and error.'

'Under the current housing benefit system, local authorities can cross-check claims across a range of data relating to other council services. Unless DWP is able to cross-check Universal Credit claims in a similar way it may be less effective in tackling fraud and error.

'It is vital that a fully developed and tested IT system, which allows DWP to cross- check data, is in place before Universal Credit is implemented on a national scale. Worryingly, it appears that there is no automated system in use in the Pathfinders and is not clear when or how a system will be available.'

The press release states- 'The Government has stated that an IT system (the Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service (IRIS)) will allow it to cross-check data and provide similar safeguards against fraudulent claims under Universal Credit as are currently operated by local authorities within the Housing Benefit system. However, last year the National Audit Office (NAO) found that IRIS was "missing" from the UC Pathfinders, and it remains unclear how or when DWP will achieve automated access to the range of property data currently available to local authorities.'

Universal Credit 2014 course

Cardiff 6/10/2014, Exeter 7/10/2014, London 8/10/2014, Manchester on 13/10/2014, Birmingham 14/10/2014. 

 

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