Why new Treasury rules on estimating fraud and error could help drive savings
07 Feb Fraud, Error Debt & Grants

Why new Treasury rules on estimating fraud and error could help drive savings

New Treasury guidance requires that departments report on the total level of loss across their programmes. Here's why it matters and how the NAO can help
by Joshua Reddaway
HMRC loses £47m in ‘organised crime’ attack on customer accounts
05 Jun Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
HMRC loses £47m in ‘organised crime’ attack on customer accounts
DWP taskforce hits £1bn savings milestone by spotting overpayments
27 May Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DWP taskforce hits £1bn savings milestone by spotting overpayments
Legal Aid Agency cyberattack: 'Large amount' of personal data exposed
19 May Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Legal Aid Agency cyberattack: 'Large amount' of personal data exposed
Could green fraud become the next big fraud scandal?
22 May 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Could green fraud become the next big fraud scandal?
Joshua Reddaway from the NAO's Fraud & Propriety team explores the challenge of fraud, error and abuse in net-zero and environmental initiatives
DBT setting up 'emergency response function', perm sec says
15 May 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DBT setting up 'emergency response function', perm sec says
Gareth Davies tells MPs work is part of broader learning from Covid support schemes
DWP beats counter-fraud target by £50m
14 May 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DWP beats counter-fraud target by £50m
Update confirms plan to use temporary staff to fill 2,500 roles reviewing Universal Credit claims
Cabinet Office signs up Deloitte to help departments tackle fraud
16 Apr 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Cabinet Office signs up Deloitte to help departments tackle fraud
Consultancy firm will support new pilot Public Sector Fraud Authority Enforcement Unit
DWP hails convictions in £54m Universal Credit fraud case
12 Apr 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DWP hails convictions in £54m Universal Credit fraud case
Five plead guilty over London 'benefit factories' that generated thousands of false claims
MPs press DWP to reveal impact of AI on benefit claims
10 Apr 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
MPs press DWP to reveal impact of AI on benefit claims
PAC disputes department's suggestion that publishing data on the impact of algorithms would pose a fraud risk
Failure to regulate 'number spoofing' a national scandal, TV expert says
26 Mar 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Failure to regulate 'number spoofing' a national scandal, TV expert says
Scam Interceptors co-presenter says government needs to make more use of diplomatic channels to shut down overseas-based operations
FCDO 'not proactive enough' at tackling overseas aid fraud
26 Mar 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
FCDO 'not proactive enough' at tackling overseas aid fraud
Watchdog blames departmental merger, Covid and new IT system for fuelling increased risks
Delving under the surface – how government can save billions by tackling fraud and error
21 Mar 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Delving under the surface – how government can save billions by tackling fraud and error
The National Audit Office is increasingly focusing on how government is tackling fraud and error and, as the NAO's director of fraud and propriety Joshua Reddaway argues, billions could be saved by getting this right
Perm secs get flak over action to combat fraud and corruption
12 Mar 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Perm secs get flak over action to combat fraud and corruption
Public Accounts Committee chair questions commitments to transparency and flags "vagueness" on investment for recovery work
Corrupt MoD official convicted of misconduct in public office
07 Mar 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Corrupt MoD official convicted of misconduct in public office
Jeffrey Cook pocketed kickbacks worth at least £70,000 in exchange for defence contracts whilst he was an MoD civil servant
Budget: Funding for anti-fraud AI and DWP service modernisation in public sector productivity drive
04 Mar 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Budget: Funding for anti-fraud AI and DWP service modernisation in public sector productivity drive
Chancellor announces drive to save £1.8bn by 2029 ahead of this week's Spring Budget
Perm sec rebuts claims BEIS sought go-slow on Post Office compensation
22 Feb 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Perm sec rebuts claims BEIS sought go-slow on Post Office compensation
Sarah Munby says 2023 meeting with POL chair Henry Staunton did not cover payouts to Horizon Scandal victims
Departments ‘must act now’ to prevent fraud in future emergencies
08 Feb 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Departments ‘must act now’ to prevent fraud in future emergencies
“By the time an emergency has started, it is usually too late to take all the steps needed," NAO report warns
Now is the time to learn lessons about maintaining standards in an emergency
08 Feb 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Now is the time to learn lessons about maintaining standards in an emergency
The NAO's review to learn lessons from spending during an emergency was extensive. Here are the key takeaways for government
Boosting public sector productivity could save tens of billions – NAO
16 Jan 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Boosting public sector productivity could save tens of billions – NAO
"It is relatively easy to cut spending" if government takes the right steps, Gareth Davies will tell MPs today
DWP warns of uphill struggle to reduce fraud
16 Jan 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DWP warns of uphill struggle to reduce fraud
Perm sec Peter Schofield tells MPs he doubts department can get back to pre-pandemic levels by 2027-28
Government rejects call to share more fraud intel, saying it 'could increase fraud threat'
16 Nov 2023 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Government rejects call to share more fraud intel, saying it 'could increase fraud threat'
Treasury and Cabinet Office refuse MPs' request for annual fraud intelligence report
Auditor KPMG hit with ‘record’ £21m fine for Carillion failings
13 Oct 2023 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Auditor KPMG hit with ‘record’ £21m fine for Carillion failings
Scrutiny of collapsed outsourcer’s finances was “very bad, over an extended period”, boss admits
DWP plans new base for Universal Credit fraud taskforce
09 Oct 2023 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DWP plans new base for Universal Credit fraud taskforce
Department recruits for 600 fraud-and-error officers who will work at Swindon complex
DWP perm sec flags ‘difficulty’ of reducing benefit fraud to pre-pandemic levels
22 Sep 2023 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DWP perm sec flags ‘difficulty’ of reducing benefit fraud to pre-pandemic levels
Peter Schofield unpacks department’s 5%-a-year assumption for growth in dodgy claims
Counter-fraud specialists lack credibility with senior officials, MPs warn
08 Sep 2023 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Counter-fraud specialists lack credibility with senior officials, MPs warn
Government ‘flying blind’ when it comes to fraud, PAC chair says
DBT told to detail cost of recovering Covid-loan fraud losses
06 Sep 2023 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DBT told to detail cost of recovering Covid-loan fraud losses
MPs say just 1.9% of £1.1bn wrongly lent to small business has been recovered
Covid and strikes to blame for drop in government fraud prosecutions, Chisholm says
13 Jun 2023 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Covid and strikes to blame for drop in government fraud prosecutions, Chisholm says
Figures show marked falls in conviction rates for fraud cases referred by HMRC and DWP