The DWP has announced it will be launching a new campaign at the end of January 2026, focusing on living situations, savings, and self-employment
The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) has unveiled plans for a fresh campaign to combat Universal Credit fraud, set to kick off at the end of January 2026. DWP Minister Andrew Western confirmed that the initiative will zero in on three main areas of loss: living circumstances, savings, and self-employment.
Mr Western’s remarks were made in a written reply to Labour MP Callum Anderson’s query about “what assessment the DWP has made of the potential impact of public information campaigns on levels of benefit-related fraud”.
In his response, the Minister stated: “DWP will be launching a new campaign at the end of January 2026. This campaign will focus on the three greatest key loss areas for the Department – living together, self-employed, and capital and savings. It will run across a range of channels, including on demand video, out-of-home, digital display, paid search and paid social.”
Mr Western continued: “The campaign’s communications objectives are to increase awareness of the consequences of not reporting changes of circumstances to DWP and to increase understanding of the types of changes of circumstances that need to be reported amongst Universal Credit customers.”
Currently, the DWP provides welfare benefits to approximately 23.7 million people throughout Great Britain, which includes over 8 million individuals on Universal Credit, reports the Daily Record.
The Department’s latest annual ‘Fraud and error in the benefit system’ report has been released, estimating incorrect payments made during the 2024/25 financial year through both overpayments and underpayments. The figures show £9.5 billion was overpaid to claimants, representing 3.3 per cent of total benefits expenditure.
This marks a decrease from £9.7bn (3.6%) in 2023/24. Meanwhile, the total rate of benefit underpayments held steady at £1.2bn (0.4%).
To receive DWP benefits, including Universal Credit, individuals must satisfy specific eligibility requirements, with payment amounts determined by their personal circumstances.
The DWP stated: “Sometimes people tell us the wrong information or do not tell us when their circumstances change. Reporting accurate information and providing evidence may change the amount of benefit people are eligible for and in some circumstances, they may be eligible for more money.
“However, we cannot calculate the correct amount unless people tell us accurately about their circumstances. This means that people are not eligible for increases in the amount of money they receive until we have the correct information.”
Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit typically paid monthly, though fortnightly payments are available for certain Scottish residents. Yet numerous claimants remain unaware that failing to notify the DWP about specific changes could affect their payments or entitlement – and in serious cases, result in penalty fines or even court proceedings.
There are almost 20 circumstances requiring notification, ranging from updating a mobile number or email address to changing bank accounts, relocating home or experiencing rent fluctuations.
Official DWP guidance on GOV.UK cautions: “You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.”
