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Can the jobcentre check private bank account information?

Robertpeters
Posts: 7 Forumite


I have a friend who is claiming benefits. He has been claiming for around a year. He says that he has savings in various different accounts totalling around £40 000. He only has around £1000 in his current account which he has shown the jobcentre. He spends the amount he receives in benefits every month, so any credit spending matches up with his benefits.
He has not declared it to the jobcentre that he is in possession of any of the £40 000. I have told him that he is committing benefit fraud and that they (the jobcentre) as a government agency could cross check all his accounts and the amounts they have in it and catch him.
I just wanted to find out what the jobcentre can and can't see in terms of peoples bank account information since this is surely private information. This will also help me to convince him of how to handle the situation.
If anyone knows anything about what the jobcentre can and can't see then I'd be interested in knowing.
Thanks.
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Robertpeters wrote: »
I have a friend who is claiming benefits. He has been claiming for around a year. He says that he has savings in various different accounts totalling around £40 000. He only has around £1000 in his current account which he has shown the jobcentre. He spends the amount he receives in benefits every month, so any credit spending matches up with his benefits.
He has not declared it to the jobcentre that he is in possession of any of the £40 000. I have told him that he is committing benefit fraud and that they (the jobcentre) as a government agency could cross check all his accounts and the amounts they have in it and catch him.
I just wanted to find out what the jobcentre can and can't see in terms of peoples bank account information since this is surely private information. This will also help me to convince him of how to handle the situation.
If anyone knows anything about what the jobcentre can and can't see then I'd be interested in knowing.
Thanks.
Yes they will catch up with him sooner or later as HMRC share information with JCP and will be able to see he is committing benefit fraud assuming he is claiming means tested benefits.
He should declare the accounts and stop claiming any means tested benefits.
If he does not do this and it goes on for sometime he could be facing court and even prison.
Obviously he is already in trouble and will have to pay back the benefits plus whatever punishment the DWP/ Council decide.0 -
what is means tested benefits?0
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Can they get him after he has ssigned off?0
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Robertpeters wrote: »what is means tested benefits?
Benefits based on savings and income of a partner. (if you have one)Sealed pot challenge #232. Gold stars from Sue-UU - :staradmin :staradmin £75.29 banked
50p saver #40 £20 banked
Virtual sealed pot #178 £80.250 -
Robertpeters wrote: »
I have a friend who is claiming benefits. He has been claiming for around a year. He says that he has savings in various different accounts totalling around £40 000. He only has around £1000 in his current account which he has shown the jobcentre. He spends the amount he receives in benefits every month, so any credit spending matches up with his benefits.
He has not declared it to the jobcentre that he is in possession of any of the £40 000. I have told him that he is committing benefit fraud and that they (the jobcentre) as a government agency could cross check all his accounts and the amounts they have in it and catch him.
I just wanted to find out what the jobcentre can and can't see in terms of peoples bank account information since this is surely private information. This will also help me to convince him of how to handle the situation.
If anyone knows anything about what the jobcentre can and can't see then I'd be interested in knowing.
Thanks.
Are you thinking of informing benefits of this?Wow, I got 3 *, when did that happen :j:T:p
It is not illegal to open another persons mail unless you intend to commit fraud - this is frequently incorrectly posted
I live in my head - I find it's safer there:p
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If he claims means tested benefits I think you should contact the fraud line...
A friend of mine won £120,000 at bingo. DWP found out, stopped all her benefits untill they investigated then asked for benefits she recieved after the win to be paid back.
Needless to say she and partner quickly found themselves jobs dispite being on IB for years.Beth0 -
The JC will receive details of interest on bank accounts, if he's got it spread over lots of accounts then I'm sure that they will look on it that he has done that to defraud.
Hopefully he will not only have to pay back the money he stole but a huge fine as well.0 -
Not only the Jobcentre but the local Council can also do the same so if the person is claiming HB/LHA and/or CTB, they'd be screwed there as well.0
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...
A friend of mine won £120,000 at bingo. DWP found out, stopped all her benefits untill they investigated then asked for benefits she recieved after the win to be paid back.
....
heh, heh, heh. Reminds me of an eviction case that went before a judge where a social housing tenant was being evicted for substantial arrears despite winning 50k on the bingo. The judge said 'why do you owe 2k in rent when you've recently won so much money?' and she replied 'Cos the social stopped my housing benefit.'.
Seriously, the lady got so used to the concept of 'free rent' that when she had the means to pay it, she was so affronted that she wouldn't pay the landlord and was gambling with her secure tenancy. I think she was expecting the judge to feel sorry for her because her benefits stopped.
To the OP
https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/benefitfraud/0 -
DWP Increasingly use information from cerdit reference agencies so yes they will find out. Hope fully someone will report them soon tho. Just remember OP, it is not some magical pot that this money comes out of, it comes from the taxes paid by honest, hardworking people. What a scumbag your friend must be.0
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