DWP and Bank Accounts

Hi,
Can any of the Moderators confirm if the DWP are instructing Banks, from today, to check the accounts of claimants once every month and report back?

If so, what information are the DWP hoping to obtain?

All a bit sinister to me, and surely in breach of Data Protection?

Thanks Gary,
A lot of social media posts circulating today about DWP accessing claimants Bank accounts to establish what they are spending their money on!


Maybe just scaremongering, but just reinforces the importance of fighting to save cash!

I believe what you describe is not happening immediately as it requires a change of law - which is reportedly included in the government's Autumn Statement. There's probably a lot of other depressing stuff coming too.

Yes I read this and they are looking for more legal powers. I can understand checking peoples accounts if there is suspicion of fraud but just randomly trawling through peoples private accounts is absolutely appalling. Feels like we living in communist china. How can they get away with this with privacy laws? Those thinking this is a great thing want to realise if they do this with claimants they will do this with everyone. As Gary says if you can use cash.

Hi UC

Not sure if you've seen it yet but there is a recent B&W news article which amongst other things mentions bank accounts. From my reading of this it is something that the Government is currently considering but no decision to actually implement it has yet been made. Some media reports on this are - as usual - somewhat misleading! For the B&W article please click

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/dwp-consi...laimants-spend-money

I hope this helps.

Kind regards

Mr B