Universal Credit Review - data protection breach!
Comments
-
That's awful @TG0601, I'm really sorry. There's a lot to be learnt from the post office situation. It's such a shame that it takes such a huge effort for people to be heard. I hope you're doing ok.
2 -
Hi Holly. I’ve just been speaking to Stetford Solicitors, who will take on a class action against the DWP as she’s appalled at what is happening to vulnerable disabled people & the harm from a lack of duty of care from the DWP. She asked if I can get a group of people to join the class action, so I have just put a new post up asking for people who have been affected to contact me or leave a comment. Numbers are going to be needed & she’s prepared to do it on a conditional fee basis, where a fee is only paid if the case is successful.
1 -
Biss, I’ve got a solicitor who is happy to take on a class action against the DWP but she needs a group of us. If you could help to get a group together from your Facebook group who have been harmed, health affected by the UCR review & feel harassed etc, please let me know. Thank you.
1 -
0
-
Hi Lizzy. Did you want to join the class action group? There was no message in your comment.
0 -
I would definitely join a class action.
Since I last posted on here the DWP have been making my life hell.
I changed my current account in July as my other one I’d had for over 20 years and it was rubbish.
I finally bucked up courage to move. Th bank did it all for me and closed the old one. I notified PIP by phone and UC through my journal to report the change and give them my new account details.
PIP implemented the change immediately and my payment went in just a few days later.
UC told me that I would need to go into ‘Report a change’ which I did, filled in all fields with the new details as requested then up popped a phone number telling me to ring and make an appointment.
I did so and was told that in order to get any further UC payments I have to go into the job centre with my bank details and my id.
I told them that I am six months of state pension age, chronically sick, cannot walk very far and fall over.
They insisted that despite being in this state as well as immunocompromised, I must still go into Report.
The job centre is miles away, not in my town and not even the same county!
I’m due to be paid on the 12th and I go into hospital for major surgery on the 11th, they have already been told about this.
Still they insisted I must attend even though a taxi will cost £50 there and back and I cannot afford that.
I live alone and they said to get someone else to go into Report. I explained that all my family work full time and live nowhere near there either.
I also told them that I do not discuss my personal affairs with anyone and it will be staying the same way.
They won’t budge and I will come out of hospital with several weeks recovery ahead of me with no UC.
They even had the cheek to use this as an opportunity to get me to bring in the four months bank statements which I have absolutely no intention of giving them.
I’ve even had the horrible bloke who is doing my review leaving voice mails today after I demanded to know why they’re making my life hell and that I will be escalating this.
I am in such a state already over having surgery and they’ve just pushed me right to the edge.
I have a previously booked appointment tomorrow with my mental health nurse and I am going to tell her what they’ve been doing now.
I am beside myself and feel sick to my stomach and tearful.
They are cruel bullies.
1 -
Oh Lizzy I am so sorry you are going through this. It’s appalling. You have so much on your plate. I wish you the best of luck with your surgery. [removed by moderator - asking for personal details] The solicitor was so lovely. She’s thoroughly appalled by what is happening to us. She said if we can get 10 or 11 people that will be great, but I think there’ll be more than that once this gets about. It’s going to be like the post office class action. If you know of anybody else who has been affected like us could you let me know & they can be added to the group.
I hope we can win justice!1 -
Hi TG0601
Yes, count me in!
The last few months have been a mess for me they’ve stopped my payments leaving me in hardship and rent arrears. I sent them everything but not my bank statements (as I will not provide these)
I’ve complained to them about the dire and hopeless situation they’ve put me in and they’ve refused to budge and don’t care that I’m on anti depressants and having suicidal thoughts. My claim will be closed permanently on 10th August (3 days) so this is perfectly timed, I’ve been hoping something would pop up as this treatment isn’t right and has to be stopped.1 -
Hi TG0601
Yes count me in!
I did just write a lengthy reply to you but it didn’t send. I’ve had my payments stopped causing me complete distress, and hopelessness. I’m on anti depressants, and feeling at breaking point. I’ve explained all this to DWP via a formal complaint but they do not care. It’s of no concern to them.
I did provide my ID but will not comply with the bank statements demand as it’s a complete invasion of privacy, and for this reason my claim will be completely closed on August 10th (3 days time) I’ve had no money for two months, no rent paid leaving me facing eviction on top of all my other problems.
It’s a complete inhumane act and it’s about time a stop was put to this to save more people from total and utter despair.
1 -
Omg! That’s horrendous. How are you going to cope? [removed by moderator - asking for personal details] There’s 3 of us so far. The solicitor needs about 10/11 of us to make it worthwhile. The only problem is because you haven’t sent the bank statements there won’t be a GDPR breach in your case but the harassment & affect to you life is enough I think.
1 -
Well the county court have made a demand that I need to pay my full rent each month along with £100 towards my arrears otherwise they’ll make a possession order to the council. So it’s not really looking good for me as it stands. I’ve reached out to Turn2us and CAB and they’ve put me in touch with some charities but they want bank statements also before they will offer any assistance. So it’s not looking great for me tbh. I’ve been having to eat at families and friends due to not being able to afford any of my own food. It’s completely humiliating.
I’m not sure how to send a DM can you drop me one and I can reply? Thanks2 -
I’ve just sent you a message. Hope you get help & things get easier for you. As soon as we get enough people the solicitor will start the process for the class action.
1 -
I wonder about the saying " biting the hand that feeds" here.
It's all very well defending one's corner, but what if they then decide to make things difficult in the future?
0 -
Hi Ranald. They are already making things extremely difficult for so many including me & my health particularly. Organisations must do things properly & fairly, it matters not who they are. Processes must be followed correctly & lawfully. That’s the whole point of GDPR. If people don’t stand up for their rights & effects to their health, it simply continues. It’s wrong. It’s not right. The most vulnerable & disabled in society are being targeted simply because we are unable to work with nothing to hide. We don’t have much…but we have our rights. We shouldn’t have to fight to be heard & listened to & protect those rights. Sitting back & letting it happen is not an option.
2 -
Hi @Kimi87
I know Reddit isn’t everyone’s favourite cup of tea on here and it’s not mines either. But some threads have popped up over there in the last month or so about the reviews. People have been asked a lot worse than your review on there. Seen people getting questioned about supermarket transactions, people have been asked other family members bank statements because they’ve sent money to them or received money, someone mentioned they got asked why they sent £1.50 to a friend and they couldn’t remember what is for so the agent on their call said the review couldn’t be completed until the person told the agent! Despite being under £6000. There’s other horror stories like that on there for example. The “verified” staff on there have said all these questions are due to them using teleperformance for these reviews and who have received no training.
I’ve also finally realised that some “verified” posters on there make stuff up or spread misinformation. One example being one of them said everyone on means tested benefits before COVID was asked for bank statements every 6 months which isn’t true and another mod on there mentioned on every award letter there’s something in these letters about bank statements reviews (which isn’t true) as I’ve kept all mines and checked mines myself. Also none of them have a clue. Another example was someone posted that they got a enhanced review message (the one where they want you a picture of your front door and street sign etc). A few of the staff on there said that’s normal and everyone will get one of those reviews. That’s not true as there’s a difference between standard and enhanced. Staff on there were rightly told they were wrong and the thread ended up getting locked because of it. Some of the staff don’t even have a clue about it and I’m at the belief these aren’t really working for DWP or any capacity as a lot of them get things wrong and why would DWP let anyone sit on Reddit all day to post about it. I posted something about UC on there a few months back and I was told by a “verified” staff member on there, my job centre worker who helped with my ID appointment to migrate over lied to me about a few things and was told job centre staff don’t really have a clue. Yet ironically the same staff member on there 2 months later when I posted about something else said “do you believe someone on Reddit or in your journal?” Which I felt it was ironic considering this person told me the opposite 2 months before. Basically they think they know it all on there when nearly all of them don’t. I now look at here, benefits and work forum and rights net for anything else. I also use the law guide for benefits instead and I’ve found out after looking at these forums most of the staff on Reddit lie or like to scare mongering people.Even one mod (who still does) on Reddit was saying only LCWRA and Self-Employed are getting these reviews at the minute until they move on to the next phase. Which I know that’s not true. As I’ve seen others who don’t even claim any of those have got them.
Onto the reviews. I read they are targeted. It seems to be data related. I was even told by the woman at job centre a few months ago who done my new style esa appointment, that the best thing to do is to stop reading social media about UC as there’s a lot of scare mongering. I got told the only thing I have to do with having no work requirements is to tell them of any changes and that’s it and I’ll be left alone. Not these bank statement reviews.There’s talk of something called Open Banking coming so anyone who get a review won’t have to upload anything and you give them access to scan your bank.
Sorry for the long post, it just had to be said.
1 -
It is clear that unlawfully Universal Credit asking people to provide bank statements. But they do request copy of passport. My British Passport was end of they and I got new one 2 years ago. Shall I submit on UC work reviews my passport copy? Or this is as well breach of ICO and legislation? I'm British since 2009. So I don't know if that not invasion in privacy, as University Credit been accepted and paid in providing old British Passport
0 -
If anyone can help me with advice due UC asking to provide my 4 months bank statements and British Passport. I'm.Brirish since 2009 but date was expired and I got new. I can reduce to provide bank statements to UC as this breach in my privacy, if that the same applies with passport? The reason I do not want to give them my passport copy, as this maybe as well as invasion to my privacy?
0 -
When I got my review, based on this thread I asked what legal basis they have for viewing my bank statements, they didn't say anything about Reg 38(2). They said:
We ask to review your bank statements as it helps understand your earnings, other incomes, savings or housing costs.
As Universal Credit is a means tested benefit, your income, savings and other capital (means) are reviewed to ensure eligibility remains.
Collecting this information unredacted helps build up an accurate picture of your circumstances which allows us to ensure you are receiving the right Universal Credit payment and support.
As the information requested is in relation to a claim to benefit, the department is not breaching any data protection law as it “is necessary for the exercise of a function of a government department”. This is stated under Section 8 of the Data Protection Act 2018, and Article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR.
So they have argued it is necessary for them to review my bank statements, but they haven't said what authority they have to request it which if what you say is true they don't have the authority?
2 -
https://www.ukbenefits.co.uk/can-dwp-check-your-bank-account/
1 -
I really do wish that Scope would do something about not being able to delete a post instead of just editing the text and sometimes it doesn't let you do that.
1
Categories
- All Categories
- 15.5K Start here and say hello!
- 7.3K Coffee lounge
- 89 Games den
- 1.7K People power
- 121 Announcements and information
- 24.1K Talk about life
- 5.8K Everyday life
- 424 Current affairs
- 2.4K Families and carers
- 873 Education and skills
- 1.9K Work
- 533 Money and bills
- 3.6K Housing and independent living
- 1.1K Transport and travel
- 627 Relationships
- 1.5K Mental health and wellbeing
- 2.5K Talk about your impairment
- 867 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions
- 923 Neurological impairments and pain
- 2.1K Cerebral Palsy Network
- 1.2K Autism and neurodiversity
- 39.9K Talk about your benefits
- 6K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 19.7K PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
- 8.5K Universal Credit (UC)
- 5.7K Benefits and income