The Department drew on lessons learnt from its financial support schemes during the pandemic to reduce the risk of fraud and error in the schemes.37 The Former Permanent Secretary told us that the Department’s previous experience from support schemes led to it collaborating from the outset with the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). They explained that the PSFA had supported the Department to better understand the fraud risks across the schemes. The PSFA worked with the Department’s counter fraud team, to ensure that fraud risk assessments were undertaken early and were complete. The Former 32 Q 53 33 Q 42 34 Qq 103–105 35 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.2–2.3, 2.10, 3.2, Figure 7 36 Qq 141–142 37 C&AG’s Report, para 2.9 Energy bills support 15 Permanent Secretary also told us that the lessons the Department had learnt from the pandemic allowed it to move people quickly to undertake the work needed to introduce the schemes, and that the capability and process it built up during the pandemic to stand up schemes quickly had paid off.38 The Department will also work with local authorities to address fraud and error risks for the EBSS Alternative Funding Scheme, building on expertise and structures developed through its experience through the pandemic.39