DWP Minister Andrew Western confirmed the campaign, which is scheduled to begin at the end of January, will focus on three areas identified as the department’s biggest sources of loss: a claimant’s living situation, self-employment status, and capital and savings.

Speaking in a written response to Labour MP Callum Anderson, who had queried the potential impact of public information campaigns on benefit fraud, Mr Western said: “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.”

The campaign’s main objective is to increase awareness among Universal Credit recipients about the consequences of failing to report changes in circumstances and to improve understanding of which changes must be reported.

Currently, the DWP distributes welfare benefits to around 23.7million people across the UK, including over 8million on Universal Credit. The latest annual report, Fraud and Error in the Benefit System 2024/25, estimated that £9.5billion – 3.3% of total benefits expenditure – was overpaid due to inaccuracies or unreported changes.

This is a slight decrease from £9.7billion (3.6%) in 2023/24. Benefit underpayments remained at £1.2billion, or 0.4% of total expenditure, The Chronicle reported.

To qualify for benefits, including Universal Credit, claimants must meet specific eligibility criteria. The DWP has stressed that providing accurate information is essential, as failure to report changes can lead to overpayments or underpayments and, in some cases, legal penalties.

“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,” the department said.

The DWP has issued guidance outlining changes in circumstances that must be reported promptly to avoid penalties or repayment obligations. These include:

Claimants are warned that delays in reporting can affect their payments for the entire assessment period, not just from the date of the update.

The Government’s latest campaign reflects a broader push to reduce errors in the benefits system while ensuring claimants receive the correct support.