Page 61 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making -(updated - August 2021)

Automation

2.76 The DWP is increasingly using automation in its decision-making processes.
UC is the first major governmental service to be digital by default. Sitting
behind it is a complex set of computer systems developed specifically for the
delivery of Universal Credit, which work alongside numerous other IT
systems, both pre-existing DWP systems and those of other Government
departments. As the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human
162
rights has pointed out, it is in fact a major automation project. In 2017, the
163
DWP also created the ‘Intelligent Automation Garage’ with the aim of
deploying digital technology to automate routine tasks, increase productivity
and improve decision-making. 164 It spends around £8 million per year on
this. 165 The DWP told us it is also looking at how to use artificial intelligence,
such as machine learning to improve its capability to detect and prevent fraud.

2.77 The DWP has stressed that it does not make automated decisions. It uses
automation to replace rules-based processing steps. These do not take the
place of social security decisions, which are required to be made by the
Secretary of State. However, it is clear that use of automation is, in many
cases, leading to significant errors in decision making. Conversely, it also
appears that there are a number of processes which are not currently
automated that it would be beneficial to claimants to automate. One of the key
issues is a lack of transparency around the use of algorithms which makes it
difficult to understand why incorrect decisions are being made and the
parameters of the computer systems capabilities.

Automated errors and selective automation

2.78 The DWP started work on Universal Credit in 2010 with an original
completion date of October 2017. However, the Department struggled with

162 R. Pope, Universal Credit: Digital Welfare (April 2020) Annex 5.
163 P. Alston, ‘Statement on Visit to the United Kingdom’ (see n. 1 above) p.9.
164 UiPath, ‘The UK’s Largest Government Department Transforms Business Processes with RPA’.
165 R. Booth, ‘Benefits system automation could plunge claimants deeper into poverty’, The Guardian,
(14 October 2019).

52