UK spying bank accounts: Eligibility Verification Measure

@EmmaC89

I was answering a question to a deleted poster back in October, when they asked what the DWP could check. At that time it was only the account benefits were paid into, the specific account claimants had declared, usually the one receiving benefit payments. These were targeted requests during investigations, triggered by suspicion of fraud or error, not routine or automated checks across accounts.

On 2 December 2025 the Fraud and Error Recovery Bill was passed into law after receiving Royal Assent. Rollout isn’t until 2026, and under the new rules banks in the scheme will have to check “relevant accounts”,  the benefit payment account plus any linked accounts at that same bank. It’s still not a blanket search of every bank in the UK.

We will have to wait until the consultation on the Codes of Practice, which opened on 8 December and runs until late February 2026. Those Codes will set out exactly how the powers are applied in practice, covering eligibility checks, debt recovery, and information gathering. Any changes will be listed in the Code once finalised.  See links below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-authorities-fraud-error-and-recovery-bill-2025-factsheets

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fraudsters-face-tougher-action-as-government-gains-new-powers-to-tackle-benefit-fraud

Closed accounts aren’t part of the checks. The Act only covers ‘relevant accounts’ that are active at the bank where benefit payments are made, plus any linked accounts there.

Once an account is closed there’s nothing to search, the legislation is about live accounts, not historical ones.

If the Codes of Practice introduce anything different (which would be surprising), it will have to be spelled out there.