If you close an account - tell the DWP!!

whistles

Just had a compliance interview because it's flagged up on their computer that I told them I have one account, when they have on file I have two.

I don't it was closed in January, but I didn't tell them it was closed, so they've had to go through the checks that I am still eligible for UC and I wasn't over the 6000 savings when I claimed and I am still not over.

However, they must have contacted my bank if something is flagged as an inconsistency, as now I have an open ESA income related case against me from the year 2023/2024 when they say I went over the 6000 and that's prior to the UC claim that triggered it.

My advice is if you have closed an account at any time since you claimed, write and tell the DWP as it may flag up that you are withholding an account and they will add the account balances together until you prove that it's closed and therefore you are not over.

Trevor_PIP

@whistles this has nothing to do with 2023/2024 or your case, but thought I would mention the DWP this year have been checking UC claimants bank accounts on an overall basis. A trusted bank official told me this earlier this year.

Mary_Scope

Thank you for sharing your experience @whistles

whistles

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1091294#Comment_1091294

They must have access to the bank if something flags then.

So it is true, they do look at peoples accounts if something causes them to need to?

It's my fault for not realising I had to tell them the account was closed. And then it's removed off their file.

Trevor_PIP

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1091374#Comment_1091374

According to the bank official, yes they do. But this year it has been looking at a lot of UC Claimants bank accounts and the banks had to do it too. Think it was something the Labour government pushed through.

Your post to warn member of a closed account is good!

whistles

If it helps someone else it's positive.

My transition over is with one account, but they're files had another one and that's been flagged. I failed to tell them it was closed and it only ever had £1 in it to keep it open anyway. Nothing ever sent into it besides the DWP payments. So that was sorted easily enough.

EmmaC89

I closed 2 accounts over a year ago and declared my current and empty ISA. DWP never flagged my closed accounts.

craigmack903

Yes the same thing is happening to me I must send esa statements or else they will close my claim

Danny123

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/140609/if-you-close-an-account-tell-the-dwp

I don't think it was because you closed the account with our telling them I think it was because they thought you were over 6000 and they wanted to check , were you over 6000 back then ?

Danny123

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1092470#Comment_1092470

Bit late sorry but when you say you closed two accounts were they aware of those accounts ? What I mean is did you declare all accounts including the ones that you closed , so the two that you closed they know of , but you just never told them they were closed

EmmaC89

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1128862#Comment_1128862

No, they wasn’t aware of the two accounts. I did get a closing statement for both closed accounts incase they asked, but so far they haven’t seemed bothered. They wasn’t mentioned either when I migrated from ESA to UC.

For some reason, not all accounts flag. Plus you aren’t obligated to declare closed accounts as it only asks for active ones when applying for UC.