The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has stepped up measures to snag handout rogues costing the country around £1billion every year.
A report seen by Daily Star Online this week said both fraud and error are now "significant problems" for the UK Government — as scheming fraudsters are saying they live in the UK when they actually live abroad and others are lying about how many people they live with.
It comes as blundering outside contractor Concentrix — tasked with reducing benefit fraud — has been axed because it had wrongly cut many claimants' payments.
But it's also meant too many crooks are continuing to falsely claim benefits, something the DWP has called "unacceptable".
Pauline Green, academic lead in social work and social care at the University of Derby, said: "Concerted efforts should be made by the Government to provide for the more disadvantaged in our society.
"But it is not a straightforward process to claim benefits. The while benefits system needs an overhaul."
She added that, as a result of what she calls a "strict system", the Government are stepping up measures to catch benefit fraudsters.
A spokesman for DWP said: "We will aim to ensure that no fraudster escapes without receiving at least a tough minimum penalty.
"We must do all we can to identify and stop it as soon as possible."
The DWP added fraud undermines the public's confidence in the entire benefits system.
But the recent damning report, published by cross-party MPs in Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for the Government, said: "Departments need clearer plans to reduce fraud and error in other challenging areas such as cohabitation and claimants pretending to live in the UK who live abroad.
"Recent issues relating to the contract with Concentrix to investigate suspected fraud and error by tax credit claimants highlights the need to get these plans right.
"We remain disappointed by the absence of stretching targets for tackling raid and error."
MP Meg Hillier, the commitee's Labour chairwoman, said: "Tackling fraud and error are significant challenges for the Government, with serious implications for the lives of many people."
But the Government told Daily Star Online "fraud and error in the benefits system is at a record low".
It does, though, intend to capture those still escaping the system and costing the country a huge amount of cash.
A spokesman added: "We took swift and decisive action as soon as it became apparent that the contract with Concentrix was not working and we apologise to those affected.
"Discussions with Concentrix on an early exit are now well advanced.
"Universal Credit has been successfully rolled out across the country to new single jobseekers and is already transforming people's lives — claimants are moving into work quicker and staying in work longer than under the old system."
Source: The Daily star
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