The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been advised to improve its IT systems to help reduce the cost of administrative errors in the benefit system.
A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) found that due to DWP processing errors, in 2009-10 the department overpaid an estimated 1.1 billion and made underpayments of 500 million.
One major issue cited by department staff was the use of different computer systems to process benefits. In NAO interviews with workers, they claimed the different systems did not communicate well with each other.
In its audit, the NAO said many of the computer systems at the department were "relatively old and standalone." This meant they were difficult to update and data was not readily accessible between the different systems.
"The department continues to work on system fixes' but until it is able to develop a solution to enable integration of its processing systems, the overall impact on administrative errors is likely to be limited," the report read.
Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said the department clearly wanted to make improvements and cut out mistakes but no real ground had been made.
"The department is clearly committed to reducing the cost of administrative error and it is frustrating that there has been no discernible reduction since 2007," Morse added.
"Progress will depend on developing a better understanding of the costs and benefits of different interventions, so that they can be targeted more effectively and are able to achieve a significant reduction in the cost of administrative error."
The Information Commissioner's Office recently warned the DWP to be careful not to breach data protection laws when using credit reference agency reports in assessing benefit claims.
-
Asus ZenScreen Fold OLED MQ17QH reviewReviews A stunning foldable 17.3in OLED display – but it's too expensive to be anything more than a thrilling tech demo
-
How the UK MoJ achieved secure networks for prisons and offices with Palo Alto NetworksCase study Adopting zero trust is a necessity when your own users are trying to launch cyber attacks
-
Starmer bets big on AI to unlock public sector savingsNews AI adoption could be a major boon for the UK and save taxpayers billions, according to prime minister Keir Starmer.
-
UK government targets ‘startup’ mindset in AI funding overhaulNews Public sector AI funding will be overhauled in the UK in a bid to simplify processes and push more projects into development.
-
UK government signs up Anthropic to improve public servicesNews The UK government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Anthropic to explore how the company's Claude AI assistant could be used to improve access to public services.
-
The UK’s AI ambitions face one major hurdle – finding enough home-grown talentNews Research shows UK enterprises are struggling to fill AI roles, raising concerns over the country's ability to meet expectations in the global AI race.
-
US government urged to overhaul outdated technologyNews A review from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found legacy technology and outdated IT systems are negatively impacting efficiency.
-
Government urged to improve tech procurement practicesNews The National Audit Office highlighted wasted money and a lack of progress on major digital transformation programmes
-
Government says new data bill will free up millions of hours of public sector timeNews The UK government is proposing new data laws it says could free up millions of hours of police and NHS time every year and boost the UK economy by £10 billion.
-
Online Safety Act slammed by rights groups as bill gains royal assentNews The Online Safety Act has been described as a veiled attempt to secure access to encrypted messages
