Uncertainty over How Benefit Fraud Risk Will Be Managed

It remains uncertain how DWP will manage the housing costs element of Universal Credit without increased risks of fraud and error, warns the Work and Pensions Committee report. 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.  The Committee concludes that such a system will need to be fully developed and tested before national implementation of Universal Credit commences. Read more on the Parliament website.