The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) this month published a research document into the increase in error within the benefit system, which had risen to a figure of £1.9 billion, or 1.7% of expenditure, in 2005/06. Successive reports over the last 3 years by a variety of bodies have all concluded that the complexity in the system is a major contributory factor. With that I wouldn’t argue but, common-sense would also lead you to, what I would guess is, another major factor and one which the report conveniently ignores.
On 1st April 2004, ‘benefit periods’ were abolished for Housing and Council Tax benefits. This was the regulation which restricted the length of time that a benefit could be in payment without a formal review. Since then, despite some risk-based reviews being undertaken, a benefit could in theory have continued un-checked, reliant on claimants reporting any change of circumstances. It, therefore, doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out what may be happening, especially when faced with the facts that in just the first two years since ‘benefit periods’ ended the figure for error in the system had doubled.
In order to ensure that claimants do not ‘forget’, it is now being suggested that claimants should be written to after 6 months to remind them of the need to report changes of circumstance. Mmm, that’ll work !! They may as well just re-introduce benefit periods !

My first published book will very shortly be available. Please watch this space for up-to-date news. The book's ISBN, for anyone wishing to order advance copies from bookstores, is 978-1-4251-6241-2. The title of the book is this item's header, above.