Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department uses (a) automated or (b) partially automated technologies to (i) investigate benefit claimants or claims and (ii) select or refer benefit claimant or claims for possible investigation.

You ask: whether his Department uses (a) automated or (b) partially automated technologies to (i) investigate benefit claimants or claims.

The department does not use (a) automated or (b) partially automated technologies to (i) investigate benefit claimants or claims.

You further ask: whether his Department uses (a) automated or (b) partially automated technologies to select or refer benefit claimant or claims for possible investigation?

Yes, DWP’s Integrated Risk and Intelligence Service uses automated/partially automated technologies to identify claims that may warrant closer inspection (or may need additional consideration), assisting in the prevention and detection of fraud and error. It is right that we keep up with fraud in today’s digital age so that we can prevent, detect and deter those who would try to exploit the benefit system and more importantly, improve our support for genuine claimants. Any risk of fraud or error identified is reviewed by a trained member of staff and this is only one of a number of verification steps which will have to be cleared before an investigation is begun or before a claim is paid.

A decision to investigate a claimant is always made by a case handler who would take into account all relevant facts and circumstances.

Where automated technologies are used, DWP is always committed to processing data lawfully, proportionately, and ethically, with meaningful human input and safeguards for the protection of individuals.

We do not use automated technologies to replace human judgement to determine or deny a payment to a claimant. A human agent will always make final decisions and Equality and Data Protection Impact Assessments are carried out.