How to recognise benefits misinformation

As cost-of-living pressures bite, many of us are searching online for information on what government support is available, benefit updates and how to make our money stretch further.

But not everything you read on the internet is reliable. 

A new investigation by the Independent has found that some of Google’s top-ranking results have included fake articles about benefits and government policy.

What false claims are being made?

Among the pages that are ranking well in Google are sites falsely claiming that:

• the cost-of-living payment administered between 2022 and 2024 is coming back this year and will be automatically paid to people on benefits like universal credit
• WASPI campaigners can expect a one-off, tax-free compensation payment next month
• next year’s planned state pension age increase to 67 has been cancelled

We should stress that these websites are not actively trying to scam or defraud you.

It’s just about profit.

By creating sensational, click-baity headlines relating to highly searched topics, these sites can rank prominently in Google’s search results and possibly attract more visitors.

And once you click through, you’ll be bombarded with ads, and the more people who visit the page, the more advertising revenue the site owner earns.

So how can you work out what’s true and what’s not?

Red flags to look out for 

Spotting misinformation can often be tricky, but there can be some clues that a website isn’t quite what it appears to be.

No official source

If an article doesn’t reference reputable bodies like the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or HM Revenue & Customs, that’s a bit suspicious, and could suggest that what’s being reported isn’t true.

No other trusted source is reporting it

If the DWP and other relevant organisations are referenced in an article about government policy, then they should also be sharing details of what’s being reported.

And you’d expect big eye-catching developments to be picked up by credible news outlets, such as the BBC, Sky or a national newspaper.

So check official government websites and trusted news providers to see if there’s any evidence to support the claims being made.

If you can’t find it there, it probably isn’t true.

Poor grammar or vague details

Sloppy writing, spelling mistakes and a lack of specifics about dates, eligibility or links to official sources should all get alarm bells ringing.

Clickbait headlines

Be wary if you see headlines that are all in capitals or use emotive phrases like “Shocking news” or “Must-read”.

These tactics are designed to make you feel a sense of urgency so you click on the link straight away.

Lots of ads and pop-ups

If a page is covered in pop-ups or has intrusive ads that slow your device down, that suggests the website you’re visiting is more interested in driving clicks than sharing accurate information.

It sounds too good to be true

We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again, but if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

So treat headlines promising free money or huge lump sums with little to no explanation with extreme suspicion.

What’s Google doing about fake news?

Google has confirmed it is taking action against the websites that the Independent identified to make sure users are given accurate, trustworthy results.

“We see billions of search queries every day and we design our ranking systems to surface high quality information at the top of Search,” a spokesperson said.

“Our spam-fighting systems aggressively fight mass-produced, low-quality content, keeping Search 99% spam-free and we take appropriate action against pages that violate our policies.”

A government spokesperson added that misinformation “undermines public trust and causes real harm to people who rely on government services”.

“That's why we're taking decisive action through the Online Safety Act to hold platforms accountable,” the official commented.

But all this will take time, so for now, it’s down to each and every one of us to be vigilant and stick to genuine, trusted sources of information.