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.
