Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Benefits System: Identify Fraud and Abuse

Monday 21 March 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Luke Evans raised a case of identity fraud involving a constituent falsely contacted by a debt collection agency for 1,500 in Universal Credit debts.
  • The Minister emphasized the critical role of identity verification for all DWP benefits and mentioned the recruitment of 2,000 additional specialists to combat fraud.
  • Universal Credit staff conduct real-time risk assessments using information and intelligence before making payments to prevent fraud.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Luke Evans Con Hinckley and Bosworth
Crime & Law Enforcement Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question arises from concerns about identity theft leading to false claims on universal credit, affecting constituents negatively.

Question

What steps she is taking to tackle identity fraud and abuse of the benefits system. I am concerned about my constituent who was contacted by a debt collection agency for £1,500 in alleged outstanding UC debts despite never having claimed before. He faced difficulty resolving this issue through official channels until intervention from my office.

Answer from David Rutley

Verification of identity remains a critical requirement for all DWP benefits, with an additional 2,000 trained specialists recruited to identify and stop scammers. Universal credit benefits staff have access to information and intelligence prior to payment for real-time risk assessment. Anyone contacting about a debt they believe they never made will be referred to the stolen ID team who aim to contact them within 48 hours.

Partly answered
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Q2 Luke Evans Con Hinckley and Bosworth
Benefits & Welfare
Context

A constituent, Dr Ralph Mitchell, faced issues due to identity theft leading to a false UC debt claim. He was unable to resolve the issue without assistance.

Question

I am grateful for the Minister's answer. My constituent, Dr Ralph Mitchell, contacted me after being approached by a debt collector regarding a £1,500 debt he did not owe due to identity theft. Despite numerous calls to the Department, resolution was only achieved through my intervention. What is the Department doing to prevent such identity theft and ensure quick communication with victims?

Answer from David Rutley

Verification of identity remains a critical requirement for all DWP benefits, with an additional 2,000 trained specialists recruited. Universal credit staff have access to information and intelligence prior to payment for real-time risk assessment. Anyone contacting about a debt they believe they never made will be referred to the stolen ID team who aim to contact them within 48 hours.

Partly answered
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