After the Post Office scandal, do you feel safe with a DWP "police force"?

Jaxjacky

Thanks Daisy I didn’t look properly.
I’ll need to do more research and chat to a friend who is a DWP investigator.

That would be interesting. However, I feel I would be a lot less inclined to believe an investigator these days. If you have watched any if the evidence being given at the Post Office Inquiry the "investigators" seem to have been under-qualified, almost untrained and thoroughly brainwashed into putting the Post Office Brand first.

I am sure the Judge will phrase this better than I have, but these people seemed to have little moral compass and the DWP's easiest targets are the elderly, and the frail. How can they fight back if this is another corrupted system?

After seeing the injustice meted out to the SubPostMasters and the extreme distress caused, I am opposed to similar powers being accorded to any other organisation especially the DWP.

It is hard enough being a benefit claimant with all the hurdles to jump to get what they are entitled to, particularly those with disabilities and long term health conditions, without the threat of being treated like the SPMs who had done nothing wrong, were not allowed access to evidence and had to pay for their own legal advice.
As someone who has worked with benefit claimants for over ten years, I am only too aware of the inefficiencies of the DWP, often due to staff cuts, and many wrong decisions subsequently overturned at Tribunal.
Even dealing with them as an executor, fighting for a couple of years over an investigation for an alleged overpayment of Pension Credit of a deceased relative, I have no faith in their competence.
Concern about giving them additional powers, in the light of the Post Office scandal, still not fully resolved, is surely justifiable.

Sago

The benefits bill in this country is huge and it’s abused massively.

I knew someone with a house in Majorca, numerous rental properties in the UK and a very beautiful home, she claimed to be a single parent living in one of the rental properties (her parents lived in it and took in the post) she was living in grand style with her partner.

She even advised friends how to claim benefits by “stretching the truth”.

I will be thrilled for anything that makes it harder to cheat the system.

Sago, please show proof that benefits are massively abused. Otherwise this is simply a harmful trope weaponising right-wing propaganda against a marginalised group. Yet again the word fascism comes to mind.

Rather than using such stereotyping, perhaps we could have a properly run, simplified system. More errors are uncovered by both those claiming on their insurance and those running the system than by deliberate fraud.

Germanshepherdsmum

The DWP doesn’t deal with tax. My only dealings with the DWP are with regard to my SP.

You really are scaremongering.

Yes

Thanks Daisy I didn’t look properly.
I’ll need to do more research and chat to a friend who is a DWP investigator.

Siope, one of the suggestions is that they could monetise the stats as was suggested (what happened to that?) with NHS information. They would, of course (?) "anonymise" the information, but the government or the banks would then make money from information that belongs to us.

Those who are rich enough could opt out by not claiming their State Pension.

I don’t share your suspicion. And I have already done my research thank you. ‘The truth’ lies in the draft Bill. I expect you have read, understood and inwardly digested, as I have? Or perhaps not … I prefer to rely on primary sources rather than biased commentary.

I'm not at all happy with the dwp being given more powers.

They don't exactly have a record of acting ethically, and it is like a huge black cloud hanging over the heads of claimants, as it is.

The benefits bill in this country is huge and it’s abused massively.

I knew someone with a house in Majorca, numerous rental properties in the UK and a very beautiful home, she claimed to be a single parent living in one of the rental properties (her parents lived in it and took in the post) she was living in grand style with her partner.

She even advised friends how to claim benefits by “stretching the truth”.

I will be thrilled for anything that makes it harder to cheat the system.

Germanshepherdsmum

The DWP doesn’t deal with tax. My only dealings with the DWP are with regard to my SP.

You really are scaremongering.

Sometimes we need the truth, not lying Tories telling us everything will be okay and, if we stick with them, we'll all be better off.

You really would think people might be a little suspicious after 14 years of the writing on the bus, etc. I am very suspicious of the 'mission creep' of this government, who seem to be at war with various groups in society.

Siope

Of course, there’s one potential reason for including state pensioners in this Bill: future means testing.

Indeed.

Additional provisions

The Bill also covers matters quite separate from the UK GDPR, the DPA and PECR, including rules around digital verification services (ss. 46-60), how overseas trust services will be recognised (ss. 87-91), and how the Government can create rules through secondary legislation to mandate Open Data schemes such as Open Banking (ss. 61-77). *It also empowers the Secretary of State to pass regulations to implement data sharing agreements for law enforcement purposes (s. 93).*

s. Refers to the sections of the Bill.

Why don't you do your own research Germanshepherdsmum. We know the DWP intend to use it - or rather I know - but the Bill is in no way limited to them.

Of course, there’s one potential reason for including state pensioners in this Bill: future means testing.

The DWP doesn’t deal with tax. My only dealings with the DWP are with regard to my SP.

You really are scaremongering.

RosiesMaw

Is this not being alarmist?
I have nothing to hide anyway.

Neither did the Sub-Postmasters.

Germanshepherdsmum

Pray tell me how the DWP would have the slightest interest in someone in receipt of no benefits other than the State Pension.

Who did the Post Office use Horizon against? Why not Tax Payers this time?

Remember, Sub-postmasters did not have to have done anything wrong to be bankrupted, lose their livelihood and possibly serve a prison sentence.

Why are we overturning our justice system and giving police powers to these organisations? A snooty "pray tell me" will not protect the average person against what appears to have been some form of vigilantism.

Is this not being alarmist?
I have nothing to hide anyway.

This is the link to the full article I put on previously www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/almost-9-million-claimant-bank-accounts-to-be-put-under-continuous-surveillance

The power to compel third parties into providing any data that the DWP wants in order to search for fraud and error is being conferred in last minute amendments slipped into the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, which has now passed its third reading in the Commons and moved to the Lords.

“The power is not limited to a specific type of data or type of institution/Third-Party to allow us to fight new fraud and error issues as they emerge and engage with new institutions as efficient opportunities become available to us.”

Later, the same document says:

This measure is drafted broadly . . . to enable DWP to apply this measure to non-financial organisations in future if it is deemed appropriate and proportionate”

Pray tell me how the DWP would have the slightest interest in someone in receipt of no benefits other than the State Pension.

The link is at the bottom, Jaxjacky.

Where are your quotes from please?