DWP Proposing To Scrutinize Bank Accounts?

I am disabled and claim benefits. I don't work but could if I was able to. Work doesn't affect personal independence payment (PIP) in so far as PIP is not means-tested and you can be paid PIP whether you are working full-time, part-time or not at all. So, you could work as a merchant banker earning millions and still be eligible for PIP.

Margs

The Daily Record and Liverpool Echo, amongst other sources, very recently noted that the DWP will attempt to obtain powers to delve into the bank accounts of UC claimants, on the premise of cracking down on benefit fraud.
And now, as rumours would have it, State Pension recipients may come under the same regime of scrutiny.
Why?
The State Pension is so far below the average weekly wage that it's almost an insult. Certainly for women.
And I can just about imagine the DWP mandating that the supermarkets hand over data on a customers spending whenever they use a loyalty card.......just to make sure that we're not fecklessly "living it up" on too generous pensions.
Ha!

And I can just about imagine the DWP mandating that the supermarkets hand over data on a customers spending whenever they use a loyalty card.......just to make sure that we're not fecklessly "living it up" on too generous pensions.

If you get a State Pension and are not in receipt of any benefits - no-one is going to be checking your spending habits.

Though frequently referred to as a "benefit", the state pension is an entitlement - irrespective of your wealth. No government would propose any plan to look at pensioners' bank accounts purely on the basis of them being pensioners.

I have no respect for this government - but that is just pure fear-mongering!

Theexwife

I thought the DWP already did that if there was a suspicion of benefit fraud.

I know of two people receiving DLA and working full time, claiming to be disabled does not always mean that you are.

It irritates me when people claim they are unable to work yet spend all day on social media, there are many jobs that involve just doing that for companies.

Claiming to be disabled does not know ghat those who know them will know whst thst disability is, Theexwife. Let's hope it isn't anyone like you or Urmstongran doing assessments as you already appear to have made up you minds without any facts.

Dickens

DaisyAnneReturns

Collecting information about where claimants are spending money

I do have concerns about that one. If a claimant is legitimately claiming a benefit and not incurring any debt the while - it seems like an infringement of their privacy.

Trained DWP investigators having arrest powers

Oh. What could possibly go wrong with that one ?!

Very worried about handing powers of arrest to anyone other than the police.

Ilovecheese

paddyann54

Meantime Michelle Mone and her billionaire husband recipients of 200 MILLION for a company they hadn't started ...to supply PPE that was useless are still at large with no sign of any legal action against them or the government .Its a very strange UK where the poor are ALWAYS guilty and the rich are allowed to "make mistakes" with no comeback
What a bloody mess !

Yes.

I understand that they are now under investigation by the National Crime Agency.

There you go..

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-67547261

cc

Realistically anybody claiming additional benefits has to produce their bank statements to show that they do not have other sources of income.

Some people have more than one bank account for this reason. I knew one such (now deceased). She produced statements from the account into which her pension and benefits were paid, from which she paid for the basics, and which gave a very distorted impression of her means.

maybe there was extra scrutiny where the person spending is not the claimant, eg a child, or person lacking capacity.
it does sound wrong, unfair and intrusive.
but there are cases of financial abuse, not just fraud against DWP, but neglecting to use the money for the claimant's benefit.

Nannan2 that's seriously unpleasant, isn't it? Maybe the holiday was the gift of a relative or friend, or maybe you won it in a raffle. Surely this isn't anyone's business and should not have any effect on your child's entitlement to benefits.

They already do but on the sneak- i once had a tribunal meeting about 8-9 yrs ago about my sons DLA(He was still a child then, at school) at the meeting i was totally grilled about our spending and one of them asked me about a holiday we had taken year before-(first in years) he then revealed where we had been and hotel where we had stayed night before travel(an upmarket one but i got it free as a voucher stay) but he was implying we had squandered our benefits on 'living it up' is the impression i got- and also that they dont approve of disabled people taking holidays!! This was all information id never revealed so the details can only have been obtained by DWP snooping either my emails or bank or both! - at end of tribunal they turned my sons claim down for no good reason i could see other than that they did not want us to have the means to "go living it up" on 'their' money again! I waited till son was 16 and applied for him PIP instead.He got it.

Urmstongran

Apparently 20% of Mancunians are claiming sick pay! One in five people. Seriously? That’s a shocking number of people. Topped by Liverpudlians at 25%. This country needs its citizens to fill all these vacant jobs and get working again. No wonder our country is flatlining. We can’t afford these high levels. Plus hotels to house migrants.

Do you know their ages, there backgrounds, the reason they are sick Urmstongran? Are they unfit because they haven't received the treatment they need?

You are very harsh if you know nothing of the details. Let's hope you and yours are never in that position

Dickens

DaisyAnneReturns

Collecting information about where claimants are spending money

I do have concerns about that one. If a claimant is legitimately claiming a benefit and not incurring any debt the while - it seems like an infringement of their privacy.

Trained DWP investigators having arrest powers

Oh. What could possibly go wrong with that one ?!

I agree in both cases Dickens. It always amazes me what two people's lifestyle differences can be on much the same income.

I would say that, to understand you need to ask what are there lowest priorities; what do they not spend money on that enables them to live so differently?

As for putting the words "trained" in, we all know what that will mean.

paddyann54

Meantime Michelle Mone and her billionaire husband recipients of 200 MILLION for a company they hadn't started ...to supply PPE that was useless are still at large with no sign of any legal action against them or the government .Its a very strange UK where the poor are ALWAYS guilty and the rich are allowed to "make mistakes" with no comeback
What a bloody mess !

My thoughts exactly. It’s time all who commit fraud are held responsible for their actions.

Of course this government will always shield their own and steer their supporters elsewhere… look look over there! I for one don’t fall for that.

Maybe there would be less sickness if the NHS waiting lists were shorter, or if there was an improvement in the air quality in cities, or even if there was less poverty and deprivation. Instead of the assumption that so many people are liars.

Apparently 20% of Mancunians are claiming sick pay! One in five people. Seriously? That’s a shocking number of people. Topped by Liverpudlians at 25%. This country needs its citizens to fill all these vacant jobs and get working again. No wonder our country is flatlining. We can’t afford these high levels. Plus hotels to house migrants.

DaisyAnneReturns

Collecting information about where claimants are spending money

I do have concerns about that one. If a claimant is legitimately claiming a benefit and not incurring any debt the while - it seems like an infringement of their privacy.

Trained DWP investigators having arrest powers

Oh. What could possibly go wrong with that one ?!

I thought the DWP already did that if there was a suspicion of benefit fraud.

I know of two people receiving DLA and working full time, claiming to be disabled does not always mean that you are.

It irritates me when people claim they are unable to work yet spend all day on social media, there are many jobs that involve just doing that for companies.

Link to Stephen Flynn and his rather petty behaviour. Is this really how we sant MPs to act.
committees.parliament.uk/committee/290/committee-on-standards/news/198755/the-committee-on-standards-has-today-released-a-report-on-the-conduct-of-stephen-flynn-mp/

www.gov.uk/government/publications/survey-of-public-perceptions-of-fraud-error-and-debt/survey-of-public-perceptions-of-fraud-error-and-debt-summary

It seems to me, if only from looking at the title of this survey, that this is another attempt by the government to wind up a wedge issue. What sane government makes law on the basis of "public perception"?

Sadly, our current one apparently.

paddyann54

Nanna8 there has just been a THREE MONTH long investigation into Stephen Flynn's misappropriation of stationery at Westminster ...3 MONTHS Mr Flynn the leader of the SNP has held his hands up to using 28pence thats right TWENTY EIGHT PENCE worth of stationery .
Seems its only SNP who are investigated but a 3 month inquiry for 28 pence seems very excessive ...he has paid it back but the cost of the enquiry must be ridiculous.....again Michelle Mone and her Billionaire husband are still not handing back the 200 MILLION of misappropriated funding for PPE

you should know the story, Never trust a tory

Absolute nonsense. Flynn was investigated for using parliamentary headed paper for political campaigning which isn't allowed. What he did was petty minded and designed to challenge the system and get him publicity. The SNP really have become very unprofessional and just plain silly. Their support continues to drop.

committees.parliament.uk/committee/290/committee-on-standards/news/198755/the-committee-on-standards-has-today-released-a-report-on-the-conduct-of-stephen-flynn-mp/

There is a lot more in this article. The direct link doesn't seem to be working but you can click on www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news then scroll to "DWP considers powers of arrest, seizure and collecting information on where claimants spend money". I have always found this a very reliable source.

The proposed new powers include:

Trained DWP investigators having arrest powers
Trained DWP investigators having search and seizure powers
Collecting information about where claimants are spending money
Collecting banking information as soon as fraud is suspected, rather than waiting for a criminal investigation
Asking banks to share information about accounts which look like someone may be committing fraud
Government organisations sharing data with DWP about claimants

Nanna8 there has just been a THREE MONTH long investigation into Stephen Flynn's misappropriation of stationery at Westminster ...3 MONTHS Mr Flynn the leader of the SNP has held his hands up to using 28pence thats right TWENTY EIGHT PENCE worth of stationery .
Seems its only SNP who are investigated but a 3 month inquiry for 28 pence seems very excessive ...he has paid it back but the cost of the enquiry must be ridiculous.....again Michelle Mone and her Billionaire husband are still not handing back the 200 MILLION of misappropriated funding for PPE

you should know the story, Never trust a tory

Realistically anybody claiming additional benefits has to produce their bank statements to show that they do not have other sources of income.

Doodledog

crazyH

What ???? We can spend our SP - I wish they’ll delve into the physical abilities of those receiving DLA /AA.

I speak as an able-bodied person who is not yet in receipt of a SP, but I think that comment is cruel and unfair. Disabled people, many of whom are ill, or have physical conditions that are not going to improve, have to undergo stringent tests and often humiliating interviews on a regular basis to get the benefits towards which they have contributed in NI payments.

Why anyone would want to make their lives even harder is beyond me.

I agree. I have a daughter in receipt of disabled benefits and they are constantly asking her to go for medicals and interviews (paying £30 for travel) and to produce doctors' letters (which she has to pay for).
Her doctor has made it clear that she is not going to be fit for work in any timescale and any money that she has to spend comes out of an already stretched budget. The result is that I am paying for these additional costs.
She would have no objection to DWP looking at her statements as she never has any spare cash and we have to subsidise her all the time.

Doodledog I had a brief dalliance once with a retired sea captain well that’s what he told me I then found out that he used to carry sticks in his car boot (this car was paid for under some disabled scheme I don’t know the name of the disability scheme it was some years ago and I wasn’t around long enough to ask) but apparently he used to get these canes out and walk with difficulty whenever he had to go for a disability check with the authorities …… I met him dancing at a singles disco
So I think CrazyHs comment isn’t too nasty but realistic for some obviously there are many more genuine claimants but
I m sure he wasn’t the only one

What they should do is check the bank accounts of all the politicians. I bet there would be a few shocks there.