Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed how bogus Universal Credit claims during the coronavirus pandemic helped to push fraud and error overpayments in the benefits system to record levels last year.
The DWP estimates it overpaid £8.3 billion (7.5%) out of £111.4 billion of benefits other than the State Pension in 2020-21 - an increase of £3.8 billion since 2019-20.
This is the highest rate since records began in 2005, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). It said the pandemic was the main cause of the increase as checks were relaxed to ensure a record number of new Universal Credit claims could be processed and paid promptly.
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