Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2015/16 estimates
Final estimates of fraud and error levels in the benefit system in Great Britain in the financial year 2015/16.
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This report provides estimates of fraud and error levels in the benefit system in Great Britain for the financial year 2015/16.
The main points from the report are:
- 1.9% of total benefit expenditure was overpaid due to fraud and error (up from 1.8% in 2014/15)
- the estimated value of overpayments is £3.3 billion (a rise from the 2014/15 estimated value of £3.0 billion)
- the net government loss, after recoveries, is £2.2 billion, or 1.3% of benefit expenditure
- 1.0% of total benefit expenditure (or £1.5 billion) was underpaid due to fraud and error
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The final estimates on this page replace the archived preliminary 2015/2016 estimates published in May 2016.
Send any comments or questions about our fraud and error estimates to caxtonhouse.femaenquiries@dwp.gov.uk
Updates to this page
Published 8 December 2016Last updated 27 April 2017 + show all updates
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Amended Table 13 in 'Tables: Fraud and error in the benefit system, final 2015/16 estimates'. Some negative values were formatted incorrectly affecting some occasionally measured benefits. Footnote amended in relation to Housing Benefit recovery data.
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First published.