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<p>The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to reducing benefit fraud
across all benefits administered by or on behalf DWP.</p><p> </p><p>DWP’s key focus
is on preventing potential benefit fraud before it occurs. Internal and external data
matches are increasingly helping inform benefit payments and alerting staff to check
for any undeclared changes in people’s circumstances.</p><p>The Department’s Risk
and Intelligence Service uses data and analytics to identify fraud and uses that information
to direct investigations. The Department is investing significantly in this area,
which will enhance its future risk assessment capability.</p><p>DWP takes effective
action against people who commit benefit fraud. This includes the use of tough financial
penalties referred to as administrative penalties and where appropriate prosecution.
DWP convicted nearly 5,000 people of benefit fraud last year alone, as well as issuing
over 5,500 Administrative Penalties.</p>
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