UK risks scandal over 'bias' in AI tools in use across public sector

Kate Osamor, the Labour MP for Edmonton, recently received an email from a charity about a constituent of hers who had had her benefits suspended apparently without reason. "For well over a year now she has been trying to contact DWP [the Department for Work and Pensions] and find out more about the reason for the suspension of her UC [Universal Credit], but neither she nor our casework team have got anywhere," the email said. "It remains unclear why DWP has suspended the claim, never mind whether this had any merit … she has been unable to pay rent for 18 months and is consequently facing eviction proceedings." Osamor has been dealing with dozens of such cases in recent years, often involving Bulgarian nationals. She believes they have been victims of a semi-automated system that uses an algorithm to flag up potential benefits fraud before referring those cases to humans to make a final decision on whether to suspend people's claims.