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Dwp eligibility verification process.

lily84

Hi, will the people on non means tested benefits be included in the government new fraud, error and recovery bill and it's dwp eligibility verification process whereby banks etc will be required to provide names and account numbers and savings to the dwp if requested?

It mentions people on UC, Esa etc, but does not specify between income based and contributory based.

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Comments

Rosie_Scope

Hi @lily84, I'm afraid I couldn't find that information clearly written anywhere either.

But from what I understand of the bill, the eligibility verification process would apply to benefits that have any money-related eligibility requirements. For example, not having over £16,000 in savings for the means tested benefits. I would imagine that because contribution based ESA is not means tested, the eligibility verification process wouldn't be used for reporting what people have saved in their bank accounts as that wouldn't matter.

However, what I wasn't able to understand from reading the documents was whether they would be using the eligibility verification to identify things like people going over the permitted work limits, as that may fall under eligibility requirements for contributory ESA. So for example, if a bank flagged that someone was getting a regular wage payment for higher than the permitted work limit, then perhaps that might be reported. I may be totally wrong on that, though.

I'm sorry that I can't confirm anything for certain, it's not very clear from the documentation that I could find on it. If you'd like to have a read through the different areas of the bill there are some fact sheets here:

Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill 2025: factsheets - GOV.UK

lily84

Thanks Rosie, I've looked at some of it but I am still unable to find out what it means for the non means tested people either. I don't know exactly when the checks will begin but you would think they would clarify the situation

I have a feeling they will just say its easier just to check everyone's bank account which would be completely intrusive. I have no trust in the government at all though.