Department for Work and Pensions Accounts 2019-20

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 27 Jul 2020 Closed: 14 Sep 2020 Parliament page
For 32 years running, the National Audit Office has had to “qualify” the annual accounts of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) because of the rate and level of error and fraud in the Department’s payment of benefits. In its report on DWP’s accounts for 2019-20, the NAO says … Read more
12 Recommendations
21 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
2 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 5 events
25 Oct
2021
Correspondence
10 Jun
2021
Correspondence
25 Mar
2021
Report published
18 Nov
2020
Report published
24 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
24 Sep 2020
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Department for Work and Pensions Accounts 2019-20
Bozena Hillyer · Department for Work and Pensions Neil Couling · Department for Work and Pensions Nick Joicey · Department for Work and Pensions Peter Schofield · Department for Work and Pensions
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Twenty-Sixth Report - Department of Work and Pensions Accounts 2… HC 681 18 Nov 2020 33 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
13 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Twenty-Sixth Report - Department o…
Even before the impact of COVID-19 the Department had not yet delivered the value of...
Even before the impact of COVID-19 the Department had not yet delivered the value of savings on fraud and error on which the Business Case for Universal Credit was based.26 As these were intended to be annually recurring savings, every … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation to set annual targets for fraud and error reduction but states that due to the pandemic, it aims to publish an overall target for 2021-22 after baselining the current position, and will consider the viability of individual targets.
HM Treasury
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28 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Twenty-Sixth Report - Department o…
Evidence suggests that the amounts claimants owe from benefit overpayments, benefit advances and Tax Credits...
Evidence suggests that the amounts claimants owe from benefit overpayments, benefit advances and Tax Credits are all likely to increase further in 2020–21. The Department temporarily suspended most debt recovery in March 2020 and reintroduced the recovery of new overpayments … Read more
Government Response
The government describes its various debt recovery methods and policies, including reduced deduction rates and new tools like 'Repay My Debt'. It commits to improving operational efficiency, using data analytics, and providing additional information on recovery options and outstanding debt in its annual report.
HM Treasury
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31 Conclusion Accepted in Part
Twenty-Sixth Report - Department o…
For a means tested benefit such as Universal Credit, people entitled to receive the benefit...
For a means tested benefit such as Universal Credit, people entitled to receive the benefit will be those in society with lower incomes and savings.64 The National Audit Office’s (NAO’s) recent study on Universal Credit: getting to first payment found … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the need to recover debt efficiently and outlines existing hardship provisions. It commits to exploring how financial data can identify vulnerable customers, working with colleagues on debt management findings, and delivering the 'Breathing Space' policy.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 33 of 12 classified
Accepted 22
Accepted in Part 3
Acknowledged 1
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 6
Total 12 recs + 21 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
25 Oct 2021 Correspondence from Peter Schofield CB, Permanent Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions, re TM26 DWP Accounts 2019/2020 Recommendation 2, dated 22 September 2021
Parliament page
10 Jun 2021 Correspondence from Peter Schofield CB, Permanent Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions, re TM26 – DWP Accounts 2019/20 – recommendation 7, dated 28 May 2021
Parliament page