Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act – What The New DWP Codes Mean For Debt And Welfare

Welcome to Debt Matters, the show where we unpack the stories behind debt, collections and credit control in the UK.

In this episode we break down an important new consultation from the Department for Work and Pensions under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025. The DWP is asking for views on three draft Codes of Practice that will shape how it checks benefit claims, gathers information and recovers debt from overpayments.

We walk you through:

• What the new Act actually does and why the government says it needs stronger tools to tackle fraud and error in the welfare system.
• How the proposed Eligibility Verification Measure would let DWP ask banks and other financial institutions to run da ...