Fraud and Fair Process in Benefits Administration: A Socio-Legal Analysis of Targeted Case Reviews in Universal Credit

This article provides the first empirical study of the UK’s Department for Work and Pensions’ Targeted Case Review (TCR) scheme—a fraud and error reduction programme to which millions of Universal Credit claimants will be subjected in the coming years. It traces the rapid expansion of the scheme since 2022 and maps out the law and administrative procedures of TCRs. Drawing on 22 original qualitative interviews with Universal Credit claimants who have undergone a TCR, the article further identifies emerging themes from claimant experiences of these new procedures. The account developed raises significant questions about how fair process can be maintained in the TCR scheme, particularly in a global context where similar programmes have led to systemic failures of administrative justice.