Big Brother Watch is investigating how a DWP algorithm is automatically selecting people for intrusive reviews of their Housing Benefit and wants to speak to people who have been affected. Have you had your Housing Benefit reviewed due to a ‘DWP initiative’ or with little explanation? This may have been down to the DWP algorithm generating a high risk score. Our early work has already found data that the algorithm is much less accurate than first suggested. We are working to uncover exactly how the system works and are looking to either hear how individuals are impacted by these reviews or to help to anyone who receives Housing Benefit find out their risk score, if they are interested.
More details on our previous work can be found at www.welfaredatawatch.co.uk and Jake, who is running the investigation, can be reached at jake.hurfurt@bigbrotherwatch.org.uk. We’re keen to chat with anyone who may have been affected, or just wants to find out more, as centering the voices of the people hit hardest by these secretive algorithms is vital.
