Dwplikea ‘pinball machine’ – Frank Fields

Benefitoverpaymentshave soared to a record £3.7 billion, according to new estimates by financial watchdogs.

However, underpayments have increased to their highest level, prompting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to be compared to a “pinball machine” in how it handles money.

The National Audit Office (NAO) said overpayments, excluding state pensions, had climbed to an estimated 4.4 per cent of related benefit spend from 4.1 per cent in 2016-17. Underpayments are at their highest estimated level at £1.7 billion.

Official error accounted for £470 million of underpayments.

Chairman of the Commons work and pensions committee Frank Field said: “It’s like a pinball machine – you might get an overpayment, you might get an underpayment.”