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Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the programme protection strategy used by the Pension Service to prevent pension credit fraud since October 2003. [147828] Malcolm Wicks: The programme protection strategy used to prevent loss in minimum income guarantee was reviewed to ensure its continued effectiveness once pension credit was introduced in October 2003. The review concluded that the strategy would continue to address those areas where fraud could occur in pension credit. The strategy and introduction of pension credit presents opportunities for improved protection at the gateway during the teleapplication process and for making use of all our contacts with customers to help them get their applications correct from the outset. The use of intelligent questioning, targeted visits and contacts with customers based on established risk, and effective internal and external data matching, all support the prevention of pension credit fraud. Positive efforts made in driving down the loss and the legislative changes introduced for pension credit have contributed towards the achievement of the Service Delivery Agreement target to reduce fraud and error overpayments to pensioners by 20 per cent. by March 2006. Measurement of fraud and error in pension credit commenced in October 2003 and we expect to publish results for the first full year's data in July 2005. In the interim we will be undertaking an early examination of cases found to be incorrect so that we can refine the programme protection strategy as necessary.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

416 c1074W;416 c1072-3W; 147828

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Fraud Pension credit Social security benefits Welfare tax credits Pension Service

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk