Context note: Are household formation decisions and living together fraud and error affected by the Living Together as a Married Couple policy?
Published 6 July 2023
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1. Summary
This report summarises research literature on how the UK’s Living Together as a Married Couple policy (LTAMC) might affect Living Together Fraud & Error (LTFE) and how this relates to contextual factors.
2. Research background
The purpose of this work was to build the department’s understanding of external research on household formations in the UK and internationally, exploring how these may interact with policy. The work was also commissioned to further understand how other OECD countries address benefit units.
3. Contribution to the evidence base
There is little direct evidence on LTFE and how this is shaped by living together policy, this research will contribute to developing the evidence base. Official statistics published by DWP [footnote 1] highlight the increasing rate of LTFE, particularly in Universal Credit (UC). The UC Fraud overpayment rate was at the highest recorded level of 13.0% (£5.3bn) in FYE 2022, within this LTFE was the second largest source of Fraud and Error.
4. Research value
The research will form part of a wider evidence base. Conducting research to understand claimant behaviour and examine policy approaches in other countries is good practice to ensure the effective administration of the welfare system.