DWP To Hire Company For Surveillance Equipment

ashmere
ashmere Community Member Posts: 80 Empowering

DWP advertising a £2m contract for vehicle-based covert ‘live’ surveillance cameras to spy on benefit claimants

https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/05/01/dwp-advertising-a-2m/

Comments

  • Yani09
    Yani09 Community Member Posts: 97 Empowering
    edited May 5

    Not great…remember though… they can only catch folks if they are doing something wrong. Most are genuine and the footage will support their claim!

  • SheffieldMan1976
    SheffieldMan1976 Posts: 1,897 Connected

    Surely this would be HIGHLY illegal under various privacy laws?

  • luvpink
    luvpink Community Member Posts: 4,745 Championing

    They used to do this years ago.

    I assumed it was still the case.

  • ColonelBlink
    ColonelBlink Community Member Posts: 792 Pioneering

    They had them in the 1990s, used to catch undocumented workers in curry houses etc.

  • Amazonianup
    Amazonianup Community Member Posts: 149 Empowering

    Let them be sued when they get it wrong. Yet drug dealers are dealing openly and for too long. Just because im functioning for a while.. Who decides who follows vulnerable claimants….funny i was followed lately by someone in different cars but im 'unwell' so no social worker from council believe me then i was burgled months later my depression came back and i was suicidal and vulnerable. The company contracted out by council i caught moving quickly from my paper work as i walked in room and later asking me personal questions and asked 'will your dog bite me if you tell it?' 'what if i broke in?' questions. At time i didnt think they did much i thought it was macho bullsh… talk of silly man who had 'hard' dogs (ignorant dog training back in his home country). I dont want people ever knowing my routine again or people that try to get to know things about me or misread what i say.

    Just because i took some medication and struggle and pray in quiet doesnt mean when i was able to get my meds today and then exhausted after. Sure i played with my dog i faked some interaction to keep him happy the guilt while waiting at the pharmacy of not being able to fake a happy mood for a long time so i have not had to hide myself away in a room from him and him watching me overdose. When a few months ago i could hardly function as i slid down hill it doesnt mean its not been overwhelming and i struggle to control my mood when days before i put myself in danger hoping to get killed.

    Why should someone have private footage or inaccurate footage why should people have to explain every detail because some idiot has an opinion of one moment in time. Footage shows what they choose to interpret not what they see….men say they are 'fine' it doesnt usually mean that.

  • luvpink
    luvpink Community Member Posts: 4,745 Championing

    Footage is usually taken over a long period of time in order for enough evidence to be obtained to prove that fraud has taken place and to build a strong case against people they suspect of fraud.

    It cannot be 'inacurate' or of just 'one moment in time' and it has to be based on fact not an interpretation of what they see.

    If people didn't commit fraud such stringent measures would not be necessary.

  • ColonelBlink
    ColonelBlink Community Member Posts: 792 Pioneering
    edited May 6

    The DWP don't have the resources to just randomly follow claimants. Surveillance will be highly targeted at those flagrantly break the rules.

  • WelshBlue
    WelshBlue Community Member Posts: 1,220 Championing
    edited May 6

    Plus £2million doesn't buy you a lot contract wise in a year ?

    They can follow me all they want. They'll get so fed up they'll give me a piggy back just to speed their day up

  • Mr_Shoes_Tied
    Mr_Shoes_Tied Community Member Posts: 59 Empowering
  • Mr_Shoes_Tied
    Mr_Shoes_Tied Community Member Posts: 59 Empowering

    🤣

    I think it's been about 6 months since I last left the house so they're going to get pretty bored waiting to see me.

  • WelshBlue
    WelshBlue Community Member Posts: 1,220 Championing

    You'll recognise them by the stretchmarks on their faces from yawning so much 👍️

  • Yani09
    Yani09 Community Member Posts: 97 Empowering
    edited May 6

    Firstly, I hope your situation improves. None of that could have been nice.

    Secondly, my post is to reassure people not to live in fear. If you are unwell and unable then they can’t film you doing anything wrong. Your condition is unique to you …as we all have our set of unique circumstances.. you should not justify yourself on here. None of us know anything of you or what you can or can’t do and how often.


    Thirdly, I send you best wishes.

  • Yani09
    Yani09 Community Member Posts: 97 Empowering
    edited May 6

    Hehe.. the quote about giving piggy backs didn’t appear in my post..

  • SheffieldMan1976
    SheffieldMan1976 Posts: 1,897 Connected

    They can film me all they want, to quote the late Andrew Sachs as Manuel in Fawlty Towers, I know nothing!

  • Akhtar64
    Akhtar64 Community Member Posts: 17 Connected

    From what I have read in the media previously, a single piece of footage or covert video recording has been used as evidence against pip claimants and had their claims rejected and taken to courts for prosecution.

  • luvpink
    luvpink Community Member Posts: 4,745 Championing