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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has come under fire in a scathing report by the Public Accounts Committee released on Friday, which criticised the handling of claimants with complex disabilities, highlighting that nearly half are not getting their required support.
The investigation cast doubt on the DWP’s move towards artificial intelligence, as fears around the incorporation is already widespread among benefit claimants at large.
Allegations raised by the inquiry concern the potential “negative impact” and unfair treatment of the most vulnerable people by AI systems designed to detect benefit fraud. The committee is pressing the Government for firm assurances of how these people will be protected.
The PAC expressed its disbelief at the service provided to disability benefits claimants by the DWP, stating: “Disability benefits claimants receive an unacceptably poor level of service from the Department for Work and Pensions.
“The DWP does not understand well enough the experience of vulnerable customers and customers with additional or complex needs, and should gather the data it needs to gain this understanding.”
The report brought attention to the disparity in treatment of disabled claimants and disability benefits.
It revealed that those claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) had to endure an average 30-minute wait on the phone before speaking with someone, compared to the relatively swift two-minute average wait for Universal Credit claimants.
Moreover, only around half of new Personal Independence Payment claimants were processed in a timely fashion, starkly contrasted by the 96% of state pension claims meeting this benchmark. 43% of people with complex disabilities experienced inadequate communication with the DWP.
Chair of the Committee, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, commented on the disconcerting findings: “Our report’s disheartening findings illustrate the stark disparity of experience between claimants for disability benefit and other users of the system. Our Committee is closely scrutinising the use of AI in Government. While this Committee would welcome the use of AI for the benefit of the public, the onus is also on the DWP to prove it is using these powerful tools in a safe and fair manner.”
He further expressed apprehension regarding the increasing trend of underpayments, in addition to overpayments, stating: “We are also as concerned at the picture of growing underpayments as we are with overpayments, and have little sympathy for the DWP’s argument that this rise is driven by a growing propensity for fraud in society.
“This amounts to saying that the DWP’s job is too hard to do well – not a defence that this Committee is prepared to accept.”
Responding to the findings, a spokesperson for the DWP said: “We have reduced phoneline waiting times and are providing tailored help for customers with additional needs while also uprating benefits by 1.7% this April to ensure that customers get all the support they are entitled to.
“The report does not consider that we are already taking action on fraud and error through our new Fraud Error & Recovery Bill which will help us protect claimants by stopping errors earlier alongside saving an estimated £1.5 billion of taxpayer money over the next five years.”
