MP Response: DWP Rhetoric and PIP Fraud

Hi,

This morning, I have received an email response from ME Foggy Dog’s constituency MP, Stephen Morgan after I wrote to him with my concerns about the DWP’s hateful rhetoric relating to ‘welfare reforms’.

It’s been a long week so, for transparency, I’m going to just copy and paste both my email and the responses received below.

Email to Stephen Morgan MP – 23rd January 2025

Dear Stephen Morgan MP,

Yesterday, as I am sure you are aware, there was a swathe of media output on the topic of PIP benefit fraud, this included an appearance of Darren Jones MP on Good Morning Britain (and other breakfast tv programmes) and articles in various newspapers.

The Government rhetoric was (paraphrasing) ‘We will claw back millions of pounds of taxpayers money by clamping down on benefit fraud and we will remove the driving licences of fraudsters’.

According to the DWP‘s own data the amount of PIP benefit fraud in 2024 was zero.

See attached image which is a screenshot of this DWP document

I am deeply concerned by this divisive language that is deliberately piling additional stigma and suspicion on the already vulnerable disabled community.

As a representative of disabled and chronically sick people who are often recipients of PIP, I am requesting an explanation and a public apology from the Labour Party/UK Government for this appalling misinformation campaign.

I would also be interested in your opinion on this issue Mr Morgan, as my constituency MP.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Email response received from Stephen Morgan MP’s office today, 11th April 2025

Dear Sally,

Thank you for your email to Stephen with the subject “DWP Rhetoric”. Please accept our apology for the delay in providing a substantive response.

As you had a direct request relating to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Stephen wanted to obtain you a response directly from the DWP Ministers, which can unfortunately sometimes take a little while.

Please find attached a copy of the letter Stephen has received from the DWP, responding to the concerns raised in your email.

We note that at least £55 billion of taxpayers’ money was lost to fraud in the financial year 2023/24, £7.5 billion of which was in the social security system. The impact of erroneous benefit payments can also be serious, leaving people with financial debt that needs to be repaid. As such, Stephen believes that preventing and recovering incorrect payments is important, and welcomes the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill.

In Stephen’s view, it will enable the DWP to be tough on those who actively seek to defraud the state and fair for claimants, while providing confidence to the taxpayer.

Thank you again for contacting Stephen. He appreciates the concerns you have raised, which is why he was keen to ensure a response from the relevant department and from a senior Minister. Stephen has also taken on board your comments.

Kind regards,

Office of Stephen Morgan MP

Contents of letter from DWP (dated 27th March 2025) sent as an attachment by Stephen Morgan’s office –

Thank you for your email of 25 February to the Secretary of State on behalf of  Ms Sally Callow of XXXXXXXXX, Portsmouth regarding the  Government’s proposed Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill.  

I can assure Ms Callow that the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) approach to benefit fraud will always be underlined by the fundamental principle  of treating people with dignity and respect, and we will work closely with  disabled people and disabled people’s organisations. 

Preventing incorrect social security payments is a priority for the DWP. We  have a responsibility to the people of this country, including to those who receive social security, to ensure benefits are paid correctly and are made to people who are eligible for the support. 

Fraud and error in the social security system currently costs the taxpayer almost £10 billion a year and since the pandemic, a total of £35 billion of  taxpayers’ money has been incorrectly paid to those not entitled. This is  unacceptable and it is a manifesto commitment to reduce these levels. 

As set out by the National Audit Office, access to data is key to prevention and  detection of incorrect payments. The Eligibility Verification Measure (EVM) in  the proposed Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will not give  the DWP access to any bank accounts, nor any information on how customers  spend their money. It will require banks and financial institutions to share  limited information with the DWP to help to verify benefit eligibility by flagging  possible conflicts with eligibility rules, for example, the £16,000 capital limit in  Universal Credit. The information gathered will help the DWP to identify incorrect payments, prevent debts from accruing for the customer and help to  identify where there may be fraudulent activity. Banks will share minimal  information which will only be used by the DWP if needed to support further  inquiry into any potential incorrect payment. 

The DWP does not consider the proposed EVM to be directly discriminatory for  any particular group because it will apply equally to all groups with or without  protected characteristics. The DWP knows that a greater proportion of benefit  customers (and hence those impacted by the EVM) may be vulnerable or have disabilities. However, we consider that any disproportionate impact on  customers with disabilities or who are otherwise vulnerable is justified as a  proportionate means to achieving a legitimate aim, namely, balancing the  economic wellbeing of the country with fairness for individuals through the  proper use of public funds and protection of eligibility rules. 

Separately, the new debt recovery powers in the proposed Public Authorities  (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will enable the DWP to recover money owed to  the taxpayer via a deduction from a bank account as a last resort where an  individual has a debt that they are repeatedly refusing to repay. To assess the  affordability of any deduction from an individual, the DWP will request to access  limited information from banks. 

The DWP will be able to consider applying to the court to temporarily disqualify  a debtor from holding a driving licence. The disqualification will last no longer  than two years and will end early when/if the money is repaid. This power will  only be considered for a limited number of the most serious cases where an  individual has deliberately and persistently evaded repayment despite have the  means to do so and where recovery is not possible by any other means,  including direct recovery from the individual’s account. 

Safeguarding vulnerable customers is always a priority. All the powers included  in the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will include strong  safeguards to ensure that they are only used proportionately, including new  independent oversight and reporting mechanisms where needed. The Bill will  be clearly defined in its scope and there will be clear limitations for the use of all  the powers we are introducing. 

The DWP has existing safeguards in place to support its most vulnerable  customers and under the Public Sector Equality Duty, the impacts of this policy will continue to be monitored to mitigate any potential unintended, negative consequences. 

The full Bill has been published on the Parliament website and is available to  the public at: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3921 The DWP will be happy to engage on any specific points and we hope to work with you to counter  misinformation and support the people we represent in the meantime.

I hope this helps to explain the position to Ms Callow.

With best wishes 

Andrew Western 

MINISTER FOR TRANSFORMATION 

As a social enterprise, ME Foggy Dog is not immune from ‘copy and paste’ replies either….it seems. The DWP reply has barely anything to do with my original email. But it is obvious the DWP and our own MP see nothing wrong with the disgustingly hateful rhetoric being aimed at disabled people at the moment (for the past 9 months AT LEAST). The rhetoric has been specifically targeted at the disabled community but the fraud they are referring to did not relate to PIP. It related to other forms of social security AND error in payments made by the DWP themselves.

I’m keeping busy countering the ‘welfare reform’ measures currently being pushed by the UK Government so won’t pursue this specific issue but wanted to reassure the M.E. community that I have spoken up about the appalling rhetoric, even if it hasn’t got me/us anywhere!

Love,

Sally

and Foggy (OBVIOUSLY)

xx

ps.  60% of the target raised already    Thank you!