AI Incident Database: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Algorithm Wrongly Flags 200,000 for Housing Benefit Fraud
A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) algorithm wrongly flagged over 200,000 UK housing benefit claims as high risk, resulting in unnecessary investigations. Two-thirds of these flagged claims were legitimate, causing wasted public funds and stress for claimants. Despite initial success in a pilot, the algorithm's real-world performance fell short. This incident highlights the risks of overreliance on automated systems in welfare administration.
AI Incident Database · Incident 738Operator lens (medium): inspect D2 (output validation), D7 (tool permissions).
Event summary
A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) algorithm wrongly flagged over 200,000 UK housing benefit claims as high risk, resulting in unnecessary investigations. Two-thirds of these flagged claims were legitimate, causing wasted public funds and stress for claimants. Despite initial success in a pilot, the algorithm's real-world performance fell short. This incident highlights the risks of overreliance on automated systems in welfare administration.
Linked entities
- department-for-work-and-pensions
organisation | 70%
- uk-general-public
organisation | 70%
- uk-housing-benefit-claimants
organisation | 70%
Related graph edges
| Edge | Type | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d2 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d2 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d2 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d7 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d7 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d7 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d1 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d1 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d1 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d2 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d2 | maps to | 60% |
| ent-aiid-department-for-work-and-pensions to ent-psf-d2 | maps to | 60% |