A new £600 million plan to “fight” benefit fraud and save the taxpayer £2 billion over the next three years is set to be announced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Announced by Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey today, the “Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System” plan outlines how 2,000 trained specialists will review more than two million Universal Credit claims over the next five years, as part of bolstered ambitions to ensure money is well spent and give taxpayers confidence that funds are reaching those who need it.
The new plan sets out how DWP officers will be given powers to undertake arrests, execute warrants, conduct searches and seize evidence - all increasing their ability to tackle the most serious cases.
