Would you accept having your bank account checked?

Wibbles

https://mol.im/a/12715213
The government has had a idea to save money 

vikingqueen

 If you have nothing to hide there is nothing to worry about. 

judie

I've just heard about the proposal from the government to check the bank account,  monthly, of everyone on UC. What about disability rights not to be discriminated against? Unless they intend to check the bank accounts of every person in the country including MPs; that would not discriminate against any group but I can't see most voters agreeing to have their privacy invaded in this way. Why should we?

66Mustang

vikingqueen said:

 If you have nothing to hide there is nothing to worry about. 

This was my first thought but isn't it a breach of privacy?

I have nothing to hide down my pants but I would still worry about someone looking down there!

poppy123456

The link says “could” have their bank accounts checked. They can check mine and my daughters if they want to, we have nothing to hide. 

OverlyAnxious

vikingqueen said:

 If you have nothing to hide there is nothing to worry about. 

I wish anxiety worked like that. 

vikingqueen

    You won't even know if an account is being monitored, it'll only come to light if something illegal is found. I doubt very much buying normal everyday things would throw up a problem. 

judie

There is more fraud in the general population so why not the same rules? I have nothing to hide but I am neither a child nor a criminal and resent being treated as such. If fraud is suspected they can already check your bank account, no need to do it routinely 

OverlyAnxious

vikingqueen said:

    You won't even know if an account is being monitored, it'll only come to light if something illegal is found. I doubt very much buying normal everyday things would throw up a problem. 

What about buying larger items using backpay that's legally disregarded for 12 months?  Will the system be smart enough to know that?  Will it be smart enough to remove the COL payments from your overall savings amounts?  What about buying a luxury gift for an unpaid carer?

As with most things, it's not as clear cut as people may think.  And again, anxiety doesn't care whether you have or haven't done anything illegal, that's not how it works.  This is just another layer of stress added to the benefits system for people like myself.

Jimm_Alumni

Banks already monitor their own accounts for illegal activity. I see no reason why the government should have access to what I am spending my money on. If they need it they can go through the processes that already exist for obtaining that data. It isn't about having something to hide, it's about having privacy.

You may be able to trust the government of today, but can you trust every single other future government? Once you've given access to that information it's much harder to take it away.

Rosie_Scope

Although like others have said, I have nothing to hide, I think I'd find it an invasion of my privacy. As Jimm wrote above, my concern would be where this could potentially go next and how the data would be handled by the government and future governments.

I just feel that in the wrong hands this would have the potential to play into the scrounger label and bring more scrutiny onto how disabled people 'should' be spending their money. That goes beyond just catching fraud and opens up a whole other can of worms.

But I should also mention that this is just something they are considering so far and it may never happen. Please try not to worry about it too much at this stage.

If you'd like to read some more information about the survey, I'll link it below:
Survey of public perceptions of fraud, error and debt: summary - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

2oldcodgers

Personally I agree with the proposal for two reasons.
I forgot and failed to tell the DWP that my private pensions increased so received more than £500 in Pension Credit than I should have had. Thankfully I won the case at the Tribunal that I did not need to repay it.
Secondly banks already notify the DWP & HMRC of the interest credited to bank accounts.
Having the DWP do the checks no one would have an overpayment of benefits - must be a good thing.

WhatThe

Always so relieved to receive my payments that it wouldn't bother me. 

I'm far more disturbed by the repeated invasions of privacy into my medical records, rent records, mental health and serenity over the last 15 years. 
   
 

Strangely

I'm already sick with worry over this shabby government's welfare reforms. This would create even more stress as I'd be constantly worrying about how much or even how little I'm spending or what I'm spending my money on...The thought of it is making me feel nauseous in fact.

poppy123456

2oldcodgers said:

Secondly banks already notify the DWP & HMRC of the interest credited to bank accounts.

I don’t think informing DWP is correct. They do inform HMRC. 

Ralph

I wonder will the tax people check every non claimants accounts routinely?
No I didn’t think so.
“The estimated cost of benefit fraud is £2.3 billion a year. 1,400 staff already investigate benefit fraud and another 2,000 are being hired. The estimated cost of tax avoidance is between £35 billion - £125 billion a year. Just 961 staff investigate tax fraud.”

https://fullfact.org/online/benefits-tax-fraud-evasion-dwp/

Bettahm

I just think maybe it's only a matter of time before they check to see just what you're spending your money on every month.
For example, when I was with cmht their social worker came here with a whole list of questions. Question #1 check what benefits I'm receiving. 
Question #2 what are you spending all this money on
I dont remember what I said, I was horrified. 

Maybe nothing to do with the dwp but then again....?

poppy123456

Bettahm said:

I just think maybe it's only a matter of time before they check to see just what you're spending your money on every month.
For example, when I was with cmht their social worker came here with a whole list of questions. Question #1 check what benefits I'm receiving. 
Question #2 what are you spending all this money on
I dont remember what I said, I was horrified. 

Maybe nothing to do with the dwp but then again....?

That sounds like the questions they ask when they are doing a financial assessment to determine what you need to pay towards any care you receive.

Adeline

Do they not already make us jump through enough hoops?

Bettahm

poppy123456 said:

Bettahm said:

I just think maybe it's only a matter of time before they check to see just what you're spending your money on every month.
For example, when I was with cmht their social worker came here with a whole list of questions. Question #1 check what benefits I'm receiving. 
Question #2 what are you spending all this money on
I dont remember what I said, I was horrified. 

Maybe nothing to do with the dwp but then again....?

That sounds like the questions they ask when they are doing a financial assessment to determine what you need to pay towards any care you receive.

I had never asked for any care nor need any but think you might be right! I was referred to them by transforming care as I have depression, bad anxiety and agoraphobia. So I wanted help with mh conditions. 
She asked a ton of questions, quick fire, pretty intimidating, and left me feeling awful and worried. 
I did ask what she was going to do with all the notes she made and the reply was 'have a meeting about all this' 
Never heard what they decided, this was last December. Last saw them in February, sometime between then and September they discharged me without informing me and no reason given.
I am currently trying to find out why.
But pretty mad about it.
Left me with no help, no referral to anywhere else, nothing.

WhatThe

Not so long ago fraud accounted for less than 1% of DWP fraud/error figures and it would be simplified by rolling all the benefits into one..

I can't link to this new report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) but DWP/HMRC business is explained somewhat and it's a hard read  
 

18 September 2023

Inquiry DWP Annual Report & Accounts 2022-23

Witnesses Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Work and Pensions, and His Majesty Revenue and Customs

Get File 

Published 18 October 2023

 Oral Evidence