National statistics

Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2023 to 2024 estimates

Estimates of fraud and error levels in the benefit system in Great Britain in the financial year 2023 to 2024.

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published
16 May 2024

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Fraud and error in the benefit system, Financial Year Ending (FYE) 2024

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78659-669-7

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Tables: Fraud and error in the benefit system, 2023 to 2024 estimates (XLS)

MS Excel Spreadsheet, 454 KB

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Tables: Fraud and error in the benefit system, 2023 to 2024 estimates (ODS)

ODS, 220 KB

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Background information: Fraud and error in the benefit system statistics, 2023 to 2024 estimates

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Details

This publication provides estimates of the levels of fraud and error in the benefit system in Great Britain, for the financial year ending 2024. 

The main stories from the publication are: 

  • 3.7% (£9.7 billion) of total benefit expenditure was overpaid due to fraud and error.  

  • 0.4% (£1.1 billion) of total benefit expenditure was underpaid due to fraud and error 

  • the net loss to the Department for Work and Pensions, after accounting for recoveries, was 3.2% (£8.6 billion) of total benefit expenditure 

The estimates that were previously reported as Claimant Error underpayments have been removed from the ‘Fraud and error in the benefit system’ publication and are now reported separately in the Unfulfilled eligibility in the benefit system statistics release.

Feedback or enquiries about these statistics should be directed by email to: enquiries.fema@dwp.gov.uk

Published 16 May 2024

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