National statistics

Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2016 to 2017 estimates

Final estimates of fraud and error levels in the benefit system in Great Britain in the financial year 2016 to 2017.

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published
30 November 2017
Last updated
20 July 2018 — See all updates

Documents

Fraud and error in the benefit system: final 2016 to 2017 estimates first release

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78425-994-5

PDF, 665 KB, 17 pages

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Tables: Fraud and error in the benefit system, final 2016 to 2017 estimates (ODS)

ODS, 305 KB

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Background information: Fraud and error in the benefit system statistics

PDF, 927 KB, 40 pages

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Details

This report provides final estimates of fraud and error levels in the benefit system in Great Britain for the financial year 2016 to 2017.

The main points from the report are:

  • 2.0% of total benefit expenditure was overpaid due to fraud and error (up from 1.9% in 2015 to 2016)
  • the estimated value of overpayments is £3.6 billion (a rise from the 2015 to 2016 estimated value of £3.3 billion)
  • the net government loss, after recoveries, is £2.5 billion, or 1.4% of benefit expenditure
  • 1.0% of total benefit expenditure (or £1.7 billion) was underpaid due to fraud and error

Send any comments or questions about the fraud and error estimates to: caxtonhouse.femaenquiries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Interactive information and charts

Use the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) online tool to explore DWP’s fraud and error statistics.

You can also use StatXplore to access DWP’s fraud and error statistics.

More information

The final estimates on this page replace the archived preliminary 2016 to 2017 estimates published in May 2017.

Published 30 November 2017
Last updated 20 July 2018 + show all updates

  1. Published a revised version of the data tables. Minor revisions have been made to the confidence limits for some Universal Credit error category breakdowns in tables 3, 4 and 9.

  2. Added a background information note to the page.

  3. First published.

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