The $2 .4 million live surveillance straegy

The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a live surveillance strategy to catch benefit cheats, with a budget of £2.4 million.

The strategy involves equipping vehicles with video surveillance cameras to secretly film suspects misusing benefits .

This is part of a three to five-year-long contract, with potential suppliers submitting their bids until last Monday (May 18).

A familiar pattern from the 2019 TV detector vans

The new tactic is reminiscent of the TV detector vans used in 2019 to catch people watching illicit broadcasts.

The Department for Work and Pensions is taking a similar approach, but with high-tech cameras and remote control capabilities.

This raises questions about the balance between surveillance and individual privacy.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The Department for Work and Pensions has not revealed the identity of the buyer who will be supplyig the live surveillance kit.

This lack of transparency raises concerns about accountability and the potential for abuse of power.

The Public Authorities (Fraud Error and Recovery) Act 2025 has made it possible for the Department for Work and Pensions to implement this new tactic.