DWP to get new powers to tackle benefit fraud in new Fraud Bill

The Government is set to bolster the Department for Work and Pensions with new powers to tackle benefit fraud, building on the authority to monitor bank accounts granted last year. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to introduce a new Fraud Bill in the forthcoming Parliament, equipping the DWP with enforcement capabilities akin to those of HM Revenue and Customs .

"We're using all the developments in modern technology, including Artificial Intelligence to crack down on exploitation in the welfare system that's taking advantage of the hardworking taxpayers who fund it." The UK Government has claimed this change represents one of the most substantial reforms to benefit fraud laws in over two decades, projecting taxpayer savings of £600 million by the 2028/29 fiscal year.

An online petition, initiated by Wendy Scott and garnering over 24,100 signatures, contends that "most benefit claimants are not fraudsters" and deems the proposed method of accessing bank accounts as "too aggressive an approach towards benefit claimants". The DWP has announced: "This measure will provide better access to data to establish whether someone is entitled to benefit, making it harder for fraudsters to steal from the taxpayer. The measure will also address error by ensuring claimants are in receipt of the correct amount of benefit that they are entitled, preventing people from inadvertently getting into debt."

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