Do they DWP have access to my accounts?

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  • robpw2
    robpw2 Posts: 14,044
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    kentguy07 wrote: »
    1. that is a un directive not an english act of parliment .
    2. its from wikipedia so does not nesscarily have to have any factual basis whatsoever

    you may as well have quoted the law according to the daily mail


    Slimming world start 28/01/2012 starting weight 21st 2.5lb current weight 17st 9-total loss 3st 7.5lb
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  • redz
    redz Posts: 212 Forumite
    Authorised Officers do not need a court order my love. If you have a look at the Social Security Fraud Act (2001?) it's all in there.
    ceecee1 wrote: »
    An earlier poster was almost correct - Yes the DWP and HMRC data match bank accounts with benefit claims.

    Sorry I'm a little drunk :beer:

    Reasonable grounds
  • rubys_mummy
    rubys_mummy Posts: 76 Forumite
    lejito wrote: »
    Hi,

    I have just received a letter from the DWP asking me to go throw an under caution interview because they think there is a possibility of fraud on my benefits.

    I am getting housing and council tax benefit at the moment.
    When i claim the benefits i omitted telling them about all my bank accounts, i only told them about one but i hold two, plus some money in an e-account.

    My fear is if they now that.
    Can they have access to my details or am i protected by the privacy law?

    I am very worried of course at the moment and i would apreciate any advise.

    Thanks

    hi, i have just been under investigation from the DWP thanks to someone making untrue allegations about me

    i received a letter asking me to go in and be interviewed under caution, however they came out to me as i'm agraphobic

    two officers turned up with all the tape machines etc, and asked me all sorts of questions, and then they showed me all my bank statements, asking me what various credits/debits were, so yes....they CAN and DO get hold of your statements

    i just told them the truth...that yes i had 3 bank accounts but 2 of them hadnt even been used in years because i'd totally forgotten about them, and i could account for everything that had gone thru my account

    they dragged it out for 6 weeks, where i knew i'd done absolutely nothing wrong, but you are still made to feel like you have

    if you've got nothing to hide, then you honestly have nothing to worry about, even tho they'll make you feel like you have, and they WILL tell you what allegations have been made against you to prompt their investigation....in my case it was a so called friend who just wanted to hurt me because i'd lent them some money, and then i'd had the cheek to ask for it back....but thats bytheby......in my case, they could have done all their investigations without even coming to interview me, and seen i wasnt doing anything untoward

    yes, its really frightening and worrying, but like the others have said, if you've done nothing wrong, then you wnt be in any trouble
  • NickyBat
    NickyBat Posts: 857 Forumite
    One would think you are "very worried" because you know you have been less than truthfull with them.

    Why by your own admission did you omit to tell them about the other accounts?, is it because you knew the amounts in the other accounts was way over the limit?

    You posted wanting advice but haven't even been bothered to come back and update!!!!!!!!!
  • DX2
    DX2 Posts: 8,275 Forumite
    kentguy07 wrote: »
    Yeah its called your mum
    You can always tell when the school's break up for holidays.
    *SIGH*
    :D
  • Are you sure that the DWP can access your Bank Account to view transactions without your permission or a court order?

    If that was me then I would complain and question whether the DWP officers have acted illegally.

    The DWP have access to information shared by HMRC - HMRC have the information regarding accounts - name, address, and importantly - interest payments ( in april ) as the Bank sends this information. The Bank don't release your statements to HMRC and certainly not to DWP unless a court order impels them to do so.

    Credit Reference Agencies have no idea what your balance is anyway. They can release contact details/information given on forms etc - they have no access to individual transactions in your current account.
  • aveylee
    aveylee Posts: 73
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    About 8 years ago I was a DWP Fraud Officer. Jobcentre staff don't have access to your bank details. However a Fraud officer upon receipt of an allegation can make a Section 29(3) DPA request to the bank, and obtain all your baking details.

    In fact this was a fairly routine activity in fraud investigations. Most times nothing would be found and the suspect would never know someone looked at their accounts. However if something was found that raised suspicions then an interview would be arranged.

    On a side point I found about 90% of benefit fraud allegations were unfounded (not the same as innocent!), but there was no evidence to proceed.
  • kentguy07
    kentguy07 Posts: 270 Forumite
    ceecee1 wrote: »
    Hmm - the right to Housing.....not the right to Housing Benefit.


    An earlier poster was almost correct - Yes the DWP and HMRC data match bank accounts with benefit claims.

    The DWP then have a right to demand from the bank (without a court order) under the Social Security Act copies of all bank statements and details of any payments made into those accounts

    Same thing. It falls under your right to housing. Without housing benefit how is your right to housing being secured? :rotfl:
    :A
  • Well I am convinceds that they cannot access your bank account without a court order.

    They will at an IUC interview ask you to obtain the statements - If you decline/refuse to assist then they will ask you to sign a form allowing them to access specified accounts that they will inform you that they are aware of. If you refuse to sign the form they will go ahead and obtain a court order to obtain them.

    They are not permitted to just access anyones account - Just like that.

    Why do you think they do data matching to discover undeclared accounts ? If they could simply contact your bank and get the statements showing capital.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,077
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
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    That kentguy07 man has sent me a rude message. Should I tell someone about it? I'm not going to reply to him, horrid man.
    I think there was a way to report pm's..click on the report button on the PM :)
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