Two government programmes aiming to help families with multiple challenges, such as unemployment and anti-social behaviour, are starting to provide benefits but considerable challenges remain.
The C&AG has qualified the Social Fund Account for the seventh consecutive year. The account has been qualified because of material levels of error in discretionary awards, and in Funeral Expense Payments. He has also qualified, for the first time, his opinion on Sure Start Maternity Grants.
Report examining the underpayment of state pension, setting out how this happened and what DWP is doing to rectify this.
The Community Care Grant has an important role in helping vulnerable people to establish themselves in the community and in easing pressure on families. The scheme is designed to be flexible so that it can provide help in good time to those who need it but the scheme as currently designed does not deliver value for money.
The Comptroller and Auditor General has qualified the 2009-10 accounts of the DWP, which have been qualified every year since 1988-89, because of the material level of fraud and error in expenditure on state benefits.
The Institute of Internal Auditors and the NAO released a set of case studies illustrating some of the key principles of effective internal auditing, taken from a range of public and private sector organisations (including British Telecom, Department for Work and Pensions, EDF etc).
This investigation examines the British Steel Pension Scheme.
One in five people on Tax Credits who were invited to move to Universal Credit (UC) did not then claim UC and had their benefits stopped, according to a new report by the National Audit Office (NAO). The coalition government proposed UC in 2010 to replace six means-tested benefits for working-age households.1 DWP estimates that […]
The Whole of Government Accounts provide a unique perspective owing to their reach and approach to measuring the government’s financial performance and position.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) has qualified his audit opinion on the 2010-11 Civil Superannuation accounts which report the financial results of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) and a number of other small public sector pension schemes.
Report summarising the National Audit Office’s (NAO) investigation into the provision of supported housing in England
This short guide is one of 17 we have produced covering our work on each major government department. It summarises our work on the Department for Work and Pensions during the last Parliament.
Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 covering the period 2008-2011
Review of the data systems for Public Service Agreement 8 led by the Department for Work and Pensions: ‘Maximise employment opportunity for all’
A Department for Work and Pensions programme to reduce the number of people claiming incapacity benefits and help them into work has had a limited impact and, while a serious attempt to tackle an intractable issue, has turned out to provide poor value for money.
Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 covering the period 2008-2011
Review of the data systems for Public Service Agreement 17 led by the Department for Work and Pensions: ‘Tackle poverty and promote greater independence and well-being in later life’
This report outlines how the public service pensions landscape has changed since the Hutton Review and highlights future challenges.
The government’s approach to managing the risks to schools’ financial sustainability cannot be judged to be effective or providing value for money until more progress is made.
DWP does not yet have enough evidence to demonstrate that its activities to reduce the cost of mistakes by customers have been value for money. Although mistakes are difficult to detect, correct and prevent, the scale of overpayments and underpayments demonstrates a clear need for improvement.
The C&AG has qualified the DWP’s Client Funds Account on the grounds of material errors in the calculations of child maintenance assessments. He has also given an adverse opinion on the truth and fairness of the outstanding maintenance arrears.