DWP bank account surveillance | Industry News

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Update – Government response to petition

The parliamentary petition against greater financial surveillance powers for the DWP (below) has passed the 20,000 signatures required for the government to make a response to it.

The response rebuts a claim that was never made, namely that the DWP would be given access to people’s bank accounts and be able to see what they were spending their money on. In fact, the power proposed for the DWP would enable them to oblige banks and other financial organisations to do that, and pass on details of any benefit claimants identified as having too much in savings or spending too much time abroad.

You can read the full response here, underneath the petition (external link will open in a new browser tab or window)

The next milestone is 100,000 signatures which triggers a parliamentary debate. Please sign if you haven’t already – there is a long way still to go!

Update January 2024 – objections to increased DWP powers

The Information Commissioner John Edwards has questioned whether ministers have shown that new powers to require banks or other organisations to disclose information on benefit claimants are “proportionate”.

Intended to compel banks to identify claimants who have more than £16,000 in savings, and those who claim from abroad for more than four weeks, the legislation is not sufficiently tightly drafted to protect individuals against “arbitrary interference”, according to the ICO.

Many people are alarmed about the potential consequences, and two petitions have been set up, calling on the government to think again (external links will open in a new browser tab or window):

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/650940

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-government-from-spying-on-all-of-our-bank-accounts

11 December 2023: New bank account surveillance powers for DWP

The DWP is getting sweeping new powers to look into the bank accounts of people on means-tested benefits – universal credit, employment and support allowance and pension credit.

This comes by way of a last-minute amendment to the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, which has now made its way through the Commons and moved on to the Lords.

Banks will be obliged to monitor their customers who are on these benefits, and report to the DWP if an account goes over the capital limit or is used abroad for more than four weeks.

Step change in surveillance powers

Currently, the DWP has the power to investigate any bank account where fraud is suspected. And HMRC routinely shares banking data with the DWP every year.

The new bill goes considerably further, by compelling banks and building societies to monitor all benefit claimants’ accounts. Approaching 9 million people claim means-tested benefits. And this monitoring extends to anyone “linked” to the receipt of a benefit, without specifying exactly what a link entails – leading to fears that the mass surveillance could also include former and current partners, children, maybe even landlords.

Any bank or building society that doesn’t comply will be subject to heavy fines.

Impact assessment acknowledges risk

The DWP’s impact assessment recognises that there will be vulnerable people amongst the benefit claimants caught up in the surveillance. They say that no automatic decisions will be made based on data alone, and DWP staff will follow the usual business processes when looking into any cases, taking account of circ*mstances and wider vulnerabilities before deciding on a course of action.

DWP staff will follow the usual business processes when looking into any cases, taking account of circ*mstances and wider vulnerabilities before deciding on a course of action

The impact assessment also states that this is just a first step: the powers are broadly drawn, to enable the DWP to compel other third party organisations apart from banks and building societies to hand over data, and to investigate other types of fraud and error beyond those first identified.

For anyone who has had experience of claiming benefits, and notably the way that work capability assessments are handled, it is hard to see how these new powers will be used in an “appropriate and proportionate” way.

Civil liberties organisation, Big Brother Watch, is extremely alarmed:

The government should not intrude on the privacy of anyone’s bank account in this country without very good reason, whether a person is receiving benefits or not. People who are disabled, sick, carers, looking for work, or indeed linked to any of those people should not be treated like criminals by default. Such proposals do away with the long-standing democratic principle in Britain that state surveillance should follow suspicion rather than vice versa. It would be dangerous for everyone if the government reverses this presumption of innocence. This level of financial intrusion and monitoring affecting millions of people is highly likely to result in serious mistakes and sets an incredibly dangerous precedent.

You can read their full analysis of the proposed legislation here (pdf link will open in a new browser tab or window)

New surveillance system to begin in 2025

The new system is scheduled to begin in 2025, with all banks fully involved by 2030.

The DWP estimates that they will spend £30 million a year investigating potential fraud flagged up by the surveillance system, but that they will save £500 million a year through reduced fraud and error.

At the same time, their impact assessment anticipates an additional 74,000 prosecution cases, 2,500 custodial sentences and 23,000 applications for legal aid over a 10-year period.

You can share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.

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Further reading and resources

Former junior minister at the DWP is now Chief Secretary to the Treasury – read Mo Stewart’s letter to her here

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Judith (McAlister) says:

February 21, 2024 at 2:29 am

If only the government’s priority was to see we get our due. So often benefits go unclaimed because people don’t know they qualify for them. I went without Disability Living Allowance for several years as I mistakenly thought I wasn’t entitled to it. Non-take-up of benefits should surely be as much a concern as benefit fraud.

What’s more, commentators who say that people who do things above board have nothing to fear from the DWP are naive. When an uncle left me money that took me above the capital limit for a certain means-tested benefit I was on I immediately informed the DWP and, as they had to, they stopped that means-tested benefit. However they failed to explain the ramifications clearly enough. I spent my legacy on doing up my run-down home – only to have the DWP accuse me of spending my capital quickly to qualify again for means-tested benefits. They told me they were going to treat me as if I still had in my possession the money I’d spent. I lived through some miserable weeks giving them details as to what I’d spent my money on. I remember thinking bitterly that that’s what you get for being above board!

I don’t advocate deviousness but maybe we should use cash as much as possible – even if we make ourselves tempting targets for purse-snatchers! I can see a future with a lot of extra grief for benefit claimants.

Lara Blatchett says:

March 10, 2024 at 11:44 am

Thank you for your response to this sad state of affairs.
Poor, low earners and sick. life will be that of robots controling and watching our every move.
Controlled misery and red tape technocratic nightmare

Gail says:

April 7, 2024 at 1:40 pm

Judith McAlister , I totally agree with all the above on the whole though not some of the comments re refugees draining our tax system as they often do contribute very much and many come with skills and need to be here fleeing terrible violence and poverty . We would do the same in this position .

Another point , I am
keen to trace any possible McAlister and Campbell relatives of my grandmother who was a Hester Mary Fitzgerald – Smith from Cork , the family from Tipperary and Dublin area in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century . I came across a McAlister address card with Nannie’s possessions and know she mentioned some Scottish connections which I have not explored yet . Maybe cousins . Her mother was a Catherine Fitzgerald and her father William Henry Smith . She married a George Cull Marsh . Perhaps you can PM me on Messenger , Gail Marsh on FB , Kent ( picture of me behind a sprocker spaniel ) pigeons at pink sunset behind this . Gail

Julie says:

February 26, 2024 at 10:34 pm

Sadly this will still remain. No matter who is in power

Richard says:

February 5, 2024 at 11:07 am

interesting read, if you are honest and paid your dues ie: taxes and so forth why should you be afraid of your bank balance? everyone today are being watched camera`s everywhere, if you are dishonest and claiming benefits when you should not be tuff you should have worked instead of planning your corrupt benefit nature, admittingly the state has allowed benefit fraud for years and now is the time to sort it out, don’t forget if you retire and have a private pension make sure you disclose it when you next claim your benefits. well done DWP long over due

Eileen B. says:

February 23, 2024 at 1:51 pm

What a heartless response have you any idea sitting on your silk cushion and money box in hand …any idea how people live. I am a UK pensioner 70 with a disability caring for my daughter with a long term illness.im on pension credit and attendance allowance and daughter gets pip we don’t have thousands in the bank to fall back on like you people and we don’t smoke or drink I think it’s a human disgrace that the government are prying accounts and monitoring us do it to the corrupt government raking millions and lined there back pockets.

Gail says:

April 7, 2024 at 2:03 pm

A heartless comment from you Richard . Anyone who has ever worked in the benefit system will be fully aware of how thorough and gruelling the benefit assessments are so if someone is not entitled they will not be awarded , Richard so you need not worry or judge or accuse ! They are not scroungers ! They are fully assessed at regular intervals and many get a pittance , especially CARERS who save the NHS and Social Services and education authority a fortune ! Simple as that ! Anyone who has worked for the NEET group with many young people or those in CARE or suffering poverty / neglect or chronic illness through no fault of their own , or poorly educated in poverty zones or struggling with their health or family abuse or domestic violence , education issues or learning difficulties or a wide range of disabilities , many hereditary …. ( do you know what the NEET group means by the way , Richard … you can look it up ….. or who worked in the NHS or any other health service or allied support services or with community probationers / for 35 years in total before through circ*mstances ending up as a full time carer on less than £11 a day after being in top Schools and hospitals …. can judge from an informed position . Do you use NHS services
or just private , Richard ? Not yet maybe but your time will come .

We all have “one thing in common “ , AGE and eventual infirmity and unforeseen changes in circ*mstances …… even you Richard … though you clearly lack knowledge ,understanding or compassion .I have worked in all these areas and am now a full time unpaid Carer through unforeseen changes in circ*mstances ! Have a heart for others , Richard. Your circ*mstances could change overnight out of your control or your family’s or your health or your capabilities then your perception will undoubtedly change along with increased knowledge and awareness .

Sandra Bowes-Rennox says:

May 10, 2024 at 7:40 am

And only a miniscule amount of people cheat the system. This is big brother watching and treating people like criminals that they presume us to be.

Gail says:

April 7, 2024 at 2:18 pm

PIP , DLA and State Pensions and CA and AA are not means tested , Richard . Not counted in Income calculations which affect Means Tested benefits as far as I am aware .

Not sure about Private Pensions , how they would impact on Means tested benefits such as JSA / IS / PC / ESA , HB and CTR . But you can have millions and still be fully entitled to certain Disability benefits which are NOT related to Means Testing . Age group affects certain Savings thresholds and Tax / pension Credits , I believe .

State Pension is based on accumulated NI Contributions at work or NI Credits for periods when not at work for whatever “legitimate and fully assessed reasons .”

Phil Dutton says:

April 16, 2024 at 1:34 pm

We should do the same with every small, medium and large business owner across the country. Just imagine how much THAT would bring in to the coffers. I have yet to meet any business owner who dose not dodge as much tax as possible from cash payments and claiming for the entire families cars, phones off the tax bill etc etc We lose FAR more from those sources than benefit claimants! I work PAYE and have no choice, why should they?

No wonder the roads, public sector, parks, libraries, fire stations, police stations etc are losing or in dire need of repair…

john stevens says:

February 3, 2024 at 10:29 pm

Cash is king. Take all your money out bank when your money goes in and pay for everything using cash. They wont see what you spend your money on then. This is the way i have been doing things since i heard this news. Cash for bills and cash for shopping.

Sandra Bowes-Rennox says:

May 10, 2024 at 7:40 am

That’s what it’ll come to.

Bjorn Olsen says:

January 30, 2024 at 11:48 am

At this moment in time the government can request you to hand over you bank account details and investigate what and where money has come from.
If you refuse they still can gain access to your account.
So we now work on the principal that everyone is guilty until proven otherwise?
So where does this end,is everyone to have there accounts and spending habits looked into regardless of they are on benefits or not….

Sandra Bowes-Rennox says:

May 10, 2024 at 7:41 am

Absolute tyranny.

John says:

January 29, 2024 at 12:28 am

Benefit fraud in the UK is absolutely miniscule (<£168m in 2020 / 2023 £1.6 billion = Covid, etc) compared to tax fraud and tax evasion which is estimated in the case of latter alone to be at least £570 billion, with a total most economists estimate in the trillion plus. Strange (perhaps not!) that this government goes after benefit fraud rather than the hundreds upon hundreds of billions in tax evasion, etc. In fact, they've just cut staff at the HMRC tax evasion/fraud department AGAIN! Makes me wonder what the government's priorities are…

For all the 'blood boilers' above I hope this gets you thinking a bit?
Don't you realise that this is simply about promoting the 'striver vs. skiver' culture war propaganda to attack the poorest, sickest, and weakest (i.e., the defenceless) who they dont care about anyway? So what if some innocent benefit claiments get wrongly accused and die due to starvation, illness or stress. It's not as if they'd vote Tory anyway so this is just thinning the herd and 'good election' politics as there might be proportionally a few more Tory voters. It really is that callous and cruel.

As for the oxymoron that 'if you've got nothing to hide you should have nothing to fear' argument the presumtuon of innocence until proven guilty is a foundation of all democracies and human rights, as is privacy. Just because someone claims benefits doesn't mean they lose their right to innocence, privacy and dignity. The only true supporters of the nothing to hide argument are dictators or fools who don't think they will ever get sick, unemployed or old. Trust me you will and they'll be coming for you next, unless of course you've got a million or two stashed away from the tax man, then you're scott free even if you got it through tax evasion or fraud…

https://www.taxjustice.uk/blog/how-much-uk-tax-is-evaded-via-tax-havens

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_to_hide_argument

Phil Dutton says:

April 16, 2024 at 1:36 pm

Spot on. Great comment from someone who has obviously done their homework. A true breath of fresh air! Thank you.

Jacqueline Paul says:

January 23, 2024 at 10:45 pm

Really really interesting comments

Chris says:

January 18, 2024 at 5:50 pm

This is a direct action of what I would expect from a Communist State. We are (or should be) a Democracy with rights to freedom.
Also let it be known that anything received at pension age is not a benefit. This has been paid for over the working life. To cushion expenses past working age.

Pamela says:

January 23, 2024 at 12:33 pm

The problem is that State Pension is legally classified as a benefit, and is administered by the Pensions Service – part of DWP. The stated intention is to only monitor the accounts of those claiming means tested benefits, so seemingly that would rule out pensioners and those in receipt of disability benefits. But those on Pension Credit will be monitored and I think that realistically, this is only the first step. If this is allowed to go ahead then monitoring of how and where benefit/pension money is spent will inevitably come next. A government spokesman was clear that banks are only required to send data where there is a suspicion of fraud, so DWP oversight of individual claimant bank accounts will only be possible where a problem is identified by the bank. The worry is that it will be an AI bot doing the identifying, so a lot of people are going to suffer given that DWP policy is to stop benefit while they investigate.

Badras says:

February 1, 2024 at 5:28 am

Pension is classed as a benefit . Work out how much you pay over working life and it’s nowhere near the amount you receive.

Paul says:

January 17, 2024 at 2:13 am

Then the door should swing both ways.the public i.e tax payers police mi5/6 should be able to look into the accounts of mp’s and tge pm inc the off shore accounts for any fraud from these as wellwe have the right to see if these are stealing money off the tx payers or any criminal activity is goning on in there account.an ask questions where did all the money come from

Pamela says:

January 23, 2024 at 1:01 pm

Spot on. If MP’s are so convinced that this will stop fraud, then they should look to their own behaviour, past as well as present – specifically the expenses scandal of a few years ago. They proved overwhelmingly that they cannot be trusted, so should be subject to the same scrutiny as they’re proposing for benefit claimants. The Bill is now in the House of Lords, so hopefully will be delayed by batting back and forth to the Commons with various amendments.

Joe says:

January 15, 2024 at 10:02 am

There is also this petition that looks to be doing very well https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-the-government-from-spying-on-all-of-our-bank-accounts (external link will open in a new browser tab or window)

Frances says:

January 15, 2024 at 2:07 pm

Hi Joe
Thank you for links to both petitions. I have added them to the article above, and in my newsletter this week.
Best wishes,
Frances

Joe says:

January 11, 2024 at 8:56 pm

If you aren’t aware of this https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/650940 (external link will open in a new browser tab or window)

Rebecca says:

January 11, 2024 at 7:02 pm

With reference to “The DWP’s impact assessment recognises that there will be vulnerable people amongst the benefit claimants caught up in the surveillance. They say that no automatic decisions will be made based on data alone, and DWP staff will follow the usual business processes when looking into any cases, taking account of circ*mstances and wider vulnerabilities before deciding on a course of action.”

This is not what happened to me. I notified myself as a vulnerable adult and so did the courts in every attempt ESA has attempted to take money from me and despite a judges decision last year they continued to attempt to take money from me that I didn’t owe. Recently I have encountered the same thing and they stopped my money without even asking me about my circ*mstances as I was recovering from two visits to the hospital with strong medication that made me sick and unconscious at times not once did they check my circ*mstances and this is the norm with ESA. This statement does not even come close to the reality of my experience with ESA and I hope people see this.

Bob says:

January 11, 2024 at 12:47 pm

Hahaha this ain’t happening on my bank account you have no reason to have alook through my bank to see if fraud is happening ( I can tell you it ain’t and if it was you would know about it trust me ).

And I love the way that you want to look through our account but way are your accounts not getting looked through or are you not capable of fraud because you work for dwp.

Buttom line is everyone is capable of doesn’t mean everyone is. And to be honest it’s more the people who work for the government and places like dwp and hmrc that do fraud as they think they can get away with it.

SO LET THE PUBLIC LOOK THROUGH ALL YOUR ACCOUNTS FIRST AND THEN MAYBE WE WILL THINK ABOUT IT.

BUTS ITS 100% NOT HAPPENING ON MY ACCOUNT.

Janet Langford says:

January 26, 2024 at 6:35 pm

unfortuntely you are wrong. if you are a recipient of uc benefits and you get notice that your account is under review then you will be asked to provide a number of months worth of bank statements for all bank account. If you fail to provide them within a set period of time then you uc account is automatically closed. So the only option is to either provide them and if not you will no longer receive any benefits payments, my uc account was reviewed last year and i had to upload 4 months of bank statements for all my bank accounts in addition to other documents. I have a long term health condition and my uc account was subject to a claim review last September . I had nothing to hide and they found no issues with any of the documents they asked me to provide including my bank accounts. If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to worry about.

Sandra Bowes-Rennox says:

May 10, 2024 at 7:44 am

I wouldn’t be so sure. It’s operated by artificial intelligence just like the horizon post office scandal.

Kain Stafford says:

January 11, 2024 at 12:09 pm

In March 2021 I had an operation for prostate cancer. Due to post operative complications , in August 2023 I was unable to continue to work
I began the benefits claim process I August 23 and was awarded LCWRA in January 2024

In December of. 2023 I was contacted by universal credit telling me they were going to review my claim ,stating it was to make sure I was receiving the correct amount of support
A demand was put upon me to supply a picture of my passport alongside my face , and to also upload a copy of my last 4 months bank statements
At this point, I questioned wether I was under investigation of which the reply was that it was definitely not an investigation, just a review.
I was told that if I did not comply with the request for these documents then I would be liable to sanctions, which I understand would be that my benefits would be stopped, so under duress, with the threat of violence (sanctions) I uploaded the requested documents to the universal credit department.
I am struggling to find any legislation that allows any person or corporation to investigate my bank account in detail without being under criminal investigation

Any help would be appreciated

Gita says:

January 17, 2024 at 12:10 pm

I also dont understand why they are asking for a copy of your passport. You might want to google GDPR principles which set out the rights of the data subject (you) as well as the responsibilities of the data controller (the DWP in this instance). If the DWP want the passport to identify you, they can do this through other means, ie checking HMRC records which they can easily do. The only other reason might be to check that you are a UK resident.

People are NOT required BY LAW to have a passport so I wonder how the DWP deals with that scenario!

Frances says:

January 19, 2024 at 10:02 am

Hello Kain
I am of your opinion is that there is currently no legislation allowing bank account investigation without suspicion of illegal activity. Which is presumably why the government is trying to introduce these new measures.
On the other hand, it is difficult to stand out against a request for information when threatened with sanctions for non-compliance.
I hope that your review goes smoothly, and you get the right outcome.
Best wishes,
Frances

Kain says:

January 19, 2024 at 2:43 pm

Thanks for your input

I have had the review team call me today ,one week beyond the scheduled appointment.
I have been questioned regarding individual transactions asking what they were for and in a couple of instances where money had been put into my account (help from my children).
I was also questioned about a transaction that took place in June, even though I didn’t make a claim for benefits until August
I have informed them that I am needing the section of UK legislation that allows them to do this, apparently the review team do not know and will have to get the information from a higher authority.

I have asked again wether this is an investigation and again denied that that was the case however no emphasis has been placed upon the original reason for review
“To make sure I am getting the correct amount of support”

I am now doubting the legality of what is going on

Regards
Kain

Bernice says:

January 9, 2024 at 12:18 am

So are the benift system trying to go back with banks to look find what they have lost or are they going forward?

Frances says:

January 9, 2024 at 11:39 am

Well it will obviously be looking backwards, but there isn’t any indication of how far back they will go, as far as I’m aware. Legally, the DWP is able to ask for information going back 12 years.
Best wishes,
Frances

Danny Bruns says:

January 25, 2024 at 3:49 am

I wonder if they would find out about undeclared accounts that have been closed for years …. I had two that have been closed for over 5 years , never with savings in , infact one was constantly overdrawn for 8 years by alot and the other nothing in but because of chronic OCD that has got worse overtime I have been bed bound for 5 years and not left the house once , because of the isolation I developed a gambling problem , like I say never savings but just so many transactions of winning , then losing , borrowing from friends and family , my statements would be a real mess , I’m terrified to be honest

Frances says:

January 25, 2024 at 9:28 am

Hello Danny
When this surveillance starts happening, I really don’t think they will begin by trawling through closed accounts from years ago. The banks will probably look at benefit claimants’ accounts over the most recent year, and share details of those with higher than expected savings.
If the DWP does then start to investigate an individual claimant, they may go back through several years of records.
Please don’t worry unnecessarily.
Best wishes,
Frances

Maria Nelson says:

February 21, 2024 at 9:58 am

It was old I have to keep 7 years of papers which I have done. When did it change to 10 years

Sue says:

December 17, 2023 at 10:51 pm

What about those of us elderly home owners who have to save up for repairs and renewals ? My property has to have a renewed roof on the utility room so I’m going to have to save through the year summer whilst saving on heating to be able to get it done. There’s always a job needing doing which have to be saved for ! Do pensioners have to live in sub standard properties with issues or get into high rate loans?

Frances says:

January 9, 2024 at 10:53 am

Hello Sue
I assume that it is pension credit you are concerned about. You can have £10,000 in savings without affecting pension credit at all. Above that sum, every £500 of savings is counted as £1 of weekly income when calculating your entitlement to pension credit.
I hope that you can manage your savings/expenditure on repairs, etc in such a way that you don’t have an impact on your benefit income.
Best wishes,
Frances

William Tavernor says:

January 30, 2024 at 11:33 pm

As well as other issues I discussed in my response to Mary Maclachlan. In trying to make ends rationalising our finances due to my Wife’s illness. I took my ‘tax free’ lump sum from my private Pension to clear debts and reduce outgoings. My youngest Son was applying to Student Finance England for University grants. My ‘Tax Free’ lump sum was take into account by SFE. Therefore I was taxed indirectly by over £4000 per year for 2 years by having to support his rent and keep because they reduced his grants by that much.
The system is set up to claw back every penny from the Sick and Elderly. Easy targets without lawyers and resources to escape the discrimination of the indiscriminate approach of the Government to clip your finances at every opportunity. I wish you well but would be wary of hoping for fairness. I have worked and paid my way honestly through life only to find the state only too willing to pass the cost for anything onto the nearest available sap. Whilst, supporting the crooked financial services industry at every turn as they robbed people relentlessly for years.

brian Piller says:

December 13, 2023 at 6:02 pm

OK by me

Sandra Bowes-Rennox says:

May 10, 2024 at 7:45 am

Oh really 🤢

Mary Maclachlan says:

December 13, 2023 at 5:55 pm

As the court Appointed deputy for my daughter who was brain damaged as a result of a small pox vaccination and is now in receipt of ESA and PIP, the thought that the DWP is now going to have powers over my daughters account fills me with disgusted horror. The OPG does this same inventory of my daughters account and rather badly having had to climb down over super officious letters that they have sent to me and have then found to be problems of their own making. Isn’t it enough stress already for those unpaid relative/carers who take on the onerous task of looking after a disabled persons financial welfare without making them guilty, before charged, which is what will happen and which the OPG do at least three or four times each year. The DWP will at great cost be employing more inept staff, the money that this will cost will outweigh the money recouped , Would it not be fairer to pay benefits more in line with “living wages”!!

Josee says:

January 14, 2024 at 11:46 am

Totally agree

Avril Hutton says:

January 20, 2024 at 8:01 pm

Hello Mary, it is only means tested benefits that will come under the proposed legislation so your daughter’s PIP will not count. I am unsure about her other benefits.

Sandra says:

February 23, 2024 at 12:13 am

It will include PIP indirectly it’s the amount of money in the daughters bank account that will count not where it came from.

William Tavernor says:

January 29, 2024 at 4:41 pm

They took the ‘State Pension’ that people worked all their lives for and paid into the system for. Spread it out among everyone and called it a ‘Benefit’. I worked for 47 Years. I had to stop 2 years early to look after my Wife who has a brain lesion hemiparesis and other health issues. (She qualifies for a full State Pension having worked 35 years, if she lives that long. At 11 years younger than me she gets PIP and new style ESA. Better they had given her her State Pension now and just left us alone) We are deemed to ‘have enough’ because of my pension and don’t receive any further support. I received carers allowance at £75 per week while supporting us with my savings until I got my pension. (They took that away when I got my State Pension as “you can’t have both”). I paid my taxes all my working life. They still tax my pension now. They have now got the gall to have changed the law so they can look into your bank account if you have a State Pension. What about the Human rights to Privacy and Dignity?
This is just the beginning. Once adopted these intrusions by the State into your Privacy will be used to get rid of some benefits altogether. They also plan with this legislation to cut ESA payments if you have a private pension of £85 per week. All clawing back your hard earned retirement income after years of encouraging you to scrimp and save more away for an enjoyable retirement. State Sponsored Robbery of the Sick and Elderly. Having planned my best to have some freedom to enjoy my retirement I am locked into having my retirement controlled by my Duty and Desire to look after my Wife and a mean and nasty UK State.

Trev Jackson says:

December 13, 2023 at 10:55 am

It is a shame the government aren’t putting as much time and effort into looking at Councils committing fraud against the elderly and disabled who receive social care by not funding assessed care needs or committing fraud by not complying with the Care Act when it comes to financial assessments. It doesn’t help that the Ombudsman service automatically use someone living locally (often previously employed by the local council) to look at complaints leading to what is obviously a conflict of interest (ex-council employee looking at decisions made by their old colleagues). The current Ombudsman system seems to encourage corruption – whether corruption occurs or not it doesn’t help when those looking at cases don’t know the rules in the Statutory Guidance to the Care Act, but do know what the Council policy is and are willing to admit that they cannot do maths when the complaint is about financial matters.

Colin Milne says:

December 13, 2023 at 9:52 am

Whilst I recognise that there are some people who fraudently make claims for benefits I do think that allowing the DWP to look at bank accounts are a step too far the cap on my profoundly disabled sons amount of £16000 has never been increased.

Helen Bolland says:

December 13, 2023 at 9:23 am

This is alarming! What if you need to spend the winter months in a warmer climate because of arthritis or pain like alot of pensioners do? Do you need to get permission from the DWP if you want to go to Spain for more than 4 weeks or are you expected to hop back to the UK on a flight, stay for 24 hours and they head back to Spain? This is state sanctioned persecution.

James Ericson says:

January 7, 2024 at 2:47 pm

No, but State Benefits are only paid to UK “residents,” you are allowed to stay in Europe, for example, 90 days out of 180 days on a rolling system. The 4 weeks information will just highlight “potential” fraudsters. There is an army of expats fraudulently claiming Pension Credit, Universal Credit etc, who are no longer UK residents as they now permanently reside abroad but are still claiming UK benefits. They are depriving the people in the UK because they are a drain on what could be offered. I live abroad and do not claim anything, no winter fuel allowance, nothing, but I know of at least 30 people around me claiming £000s fraudulently, it makes my blood boil and that’s just in the small area around me in Spain, if you times that by the rest of the expats in Europe it must be phenominal.

Renee says:

January 17, 2024 at 9:21 am

Well said, it boils my blood that so many are aghast at any new measure the government tries to come up with to prevent the serious abuse and fraud from the taxpayer’s purse…Loads of whinging but not a single suggestion of how the government could go about catching the blatant fraudsters like my old neighbour and his entire family, off on a 6 week cruise, all of them on benefits! We both work and we can’t afford a ferry to France! Or the couple who brought the wifes mother over to the uk and after 3 months started claiming pension credits, never having spend a minute in the UK prior to this, claims she has no other income but fails to mention the house sale in Lithuania and the pension she receives from there too! Again, this woman is on more benefits than pensioners who have spent their entire lives working in the the UK and paying for it… So for all those objecting to these measures a) if you have nothing to hide why worry, and b) what do you suggest the government do to catch these fraudsters?

Pamela says:

January 23, 2024 at 12:54 pm

If you’ve ever had dealings with DWP you should know why people are worried about these new powers. DWP have a policy of stopping benefit payments while they investigate. The monitoring by the banks will be by automated system – an AI bot, which will be programmed to look for breaches of things like limits on savings/other income, an on funds going in and out of bank accounts. So the likelihood is that a lot of claimants are going to have their benefits stopped and be investigated when they are actually not doing anything wrong – the AI system isn’t sophisticated enough to do anything other than these basic checks. The old adage ‘if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear’ doesn’t apply when dealing with DWP.

Sandra Bowes-Rennox says:

May 10, 2024 at 7:47 am

You speak common sense and the truth. Thanks.

Janet Langford says:

January 26, 2024 at 6:46 pm

it would make my blood boil too . it is the uk tax payer who is paying for these fraudsters.

Mal says:

February 27, 2024 at 8:55 am

Janet you’re also paying for the millions they send in arms to countries like Isreal and don’t forget the millions in fraudulent ppi payouts they were handing each other was tax payer money too yet for some reason this doesn’t cause public outrage but perfectly fine just ignore all that and punish the poor instead??
Mind blown

Kathleen Connolly says:

March 22, 2024 at 8:41 am

I think it’s so wrong I’ve noticed they’re on the bottom of my account. I get pension which I’ve every right too. I worked my butt off doing countless jobs to feed clothes keep a roof over our heads. My husband died at a young age. So there’s no pension of his.

FAQs

Which banks will be checked by DWP? ›

According to a recent heads-up by the DWP, it will surveil accounts from the UK's top 15 banks, accounting for 97 per cent of benefit claimant's bank accounts. This includes banks like Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Halifax, HSBC, NatWest, Santander and TSB.

Learn More Now ›

How to tell if DWP are watching you? ›

If the DWP is going to commence a formal investigation against you, they will notify you via post, telephone, or email, depending on what information they have available for you. The vast majority will receive this information via post.

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Can DWP look at my bank account without me knowing? ›

Under current rules, DWP can only request details of a bank account holder's transactions if there are reasonable grounds to suspect them of fraud.

Why are DWP asking for bank statements? ›

This consists of a list of the names of banks, Building Societies etc that a claimant has an account with. That is why when you make a new claim the DWP may ask you to attend the Jobcentre with bank statements showing the level of your savings. This is for each account that appears on their list.

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How far back can DWP investigate? ›

Investigating the Deceased's Benefits: The DWP can conduct a thorough investigation into the deceased's estate. This isn't a quick glance; they may review the person's financial history for up to 12 years. This will help them to determine if the benefits received were appropriate.

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Can the government monitor my bank account? ›

The IRS typically shares suspicious deposit or withdrawal activity with local and state authorities, Castaneda says. The federal law extends to businesses that receive funds to purchase more expensive items, such as cars, homes or other big amenities. These companies are also required to report deposits.

Read The Full Story ›

Does DWP do surveillance? ›

THE Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to hire dozens of new staff in order to spy on benefits claimants, reports suggest. An advertisem*nt on gov.uk shows that the DWP is hiring up to 25 covert surveillance officers, with jobs available in 20 locations around the UK including Edinburgh and Glasgow.

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What triggers a DWP compliance check? ›

Home Visits: DWP compliance officers may visit a claimant's home if there is a concern about their eligibility for benefits or to verify information provided on their claim. A home visit can be triggered if a claimant has a history of fraud or non-compliance, or if inconsistencies have been identified in their claim.

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Can the DWP check your text messages? ›

2.3 All SMS text messages which are sent by DWP are monitored for certain content such as personal identifiable information, National Insurance numbers, employee numbers, names, addresses and dates of birth or security classified information.

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How often do DWP check bank accounts online? ›

Currently, if the DWP suspects someone of fraud they have to individually request their details from their bank. Under the new plans, banks will be forced to run monthly or even weekly checks to see if any “red flags” are picked up.

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Can the government access your bank account without your permission? ›

Without your consent, a Federal agency that wants to see your financial records may do so ordinarily only by means of a lawful subpoena, summons, formal written request,or search warrant for that purpose.

Can the DWP see my Facebook account? ›

Investigators for the DWP often wear plain clothes and can come to your home or work at any time. They can also check financial data, including bank statements, and sometimes check social media accounts to look at pictures, locations, and other information which might be useful. You can find this story in My Bookmarks.

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Why would DWP investigate me? ›

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), local authorities and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have powers to make investigations in order to detect and prevent fraud. These authorities may share information about you with each other.

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What are DWP bank details? ›

Pay using online banking

If you're paying from a UK bank account, use the following details: account name - DWP Debt Management. sort code - 60 70 80. account number - 10025634. payment reference - the reference number on your letter from DWP or your National Insurance number.

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Do I need to inform DWP? ›

You'll need to tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about changes to your work, money or family life. These are called 'changes of circ*mstances'. Changes can affect how much Universal Credit you get and what work-related activities you need to do in exchange for your Universal Credit payment.

DWP bank account surveillance | Industry News | Independent Living (2024)

Update – Government response to petition

Update January 2024 – objections to increased DWP powers

11 December 2023: New bank account surveillance powers for DWP

Step change in surveillance powers

Impact assessment acknowledges risk

Civil liberties organisation, Big Brother Watch, is extremely alarmed:

New surveillance system to begin in 2025

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FAQs

Which banks will be checked by DWP? ›

Can the government access your bank account without your permission? ›