Is state pension a benefit?

Bigwheels1111

All the tin foil hat conspiracy theory nuts have been proved right.
Who would have thought 😜.
I’m not At pension age yet.
But I think I would fail there checks.
I make no payments from my bank account.
Just fund savings or regular savings.

I don’t have any bills in my name, and have not for 8 years now.

HillStreetBlues

badmemory said:

They will be looking for accounts with any foreign transactions to the wrong countries I would think. 

That is what they will be doing with PIP for any non GB country.

p00hsticks

maisie_cat said:

The state pension, while not means tested does not increase in certain countries so checking that a pensioner registered in the UK is not actually living in Australia or South Africa might be obvious from bank account checks.

Also the Winter Fuel Payment is only paid to State Pensioners living in certain countries. 

Pollycat

Discussed at length on the Pensions board

Gov Access to Bank Accounts for those in receipt of SP - Page 10 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Also in the media.
Apparently 

PoGee said:

I didn't think it was means tested so why does the gov want to look at pensioner accounts? Online news says - if they suspect fraud. But if it's not means tested and a person has paid 40 years NI, in what way would the pensioner be communicating fraud? Some say it's a ploy to eventually make it means tested. I've just about paid 40 years worth but around 9 years from state pension age. Would have been good if it was still 60....the good old days.

It wasn't 'the good old days' for men.
It's called equality.

Grumpy_chap

HillStreetBlues said:

The news is correct, the proposed new law just states "benefit claimants" so State pensions is in that remit.
The DWP  might say it won't happen, but that would have to be taken on trust.

Does the proposed new law include a definition for "benefits claimants"? 
Does it really means "means-tested benefits claimants"?
AIUI, claimants of means-tested benefits have to make a declaration now regarding levels of assets / savings and these can be required to be evidenced by provision of bank account information etc.  
Remember, also, the Government do not have the resources to assess large amounts of data in a meaningful way.
The whole reporting might well be a lot of scare-mongering over something that will make little difference.

Pollycat

A fairly recent report:
DWP explains which bank accounts it'll be checking in crackdown on benefit fraud - Mirror Online

badmemory

The original article quoting the DWP did include state pensioners & made it clear it was not just those who are claiming pension credit.

Pollycat

To answer the OP's question:

Is state pension a benefit?

Millions assume they’re ‘entitled’ to the state pension. Here’s why they’re wrong | Personal Finance | Finance | Express.co.uk


Benefitsguide.co.uk says:

The state pension is a benefit payment available to the majority of people when they reach the current State Pension age. It is a universal, non-means tested benefit available to all, so long as they have made the requisite National Insurance contributions or credits.

and the Express article states:

Benefit. Not right. Not entitlement. Benefit.

and

It’s the Government that decides these things and in 2016 it made its position brutally clear. “The State Pension is described in legislation as a 'benefit' in order to root it within the existing social security framework as a statutory scheme paid out of monies in the NationaI Insurance Fund.”

That was in response to a petition entitled: “Stop UK Government and Departments from labelling "State Pension" as benefits!”

Spoonie_Turtle

Can anyone point me to an official source for the bank access thing, please?  I don't trust the newspapers not to take quotes out of context or speculate beyond what's actually been said.

[Glad to have learned why they would need access for pensioners' accounts even if they're not claiming PC, thanks to those more knowledgeable for that!]

kaMelo

The best I can do is this report into a pilot run of data cross matching between bank accounts and those who claim means tested benefits for the purpose of eliminating fraud.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6285e7f3d3bf7f1f46f9b6a5/fighting-fraud-in-the-welfare-system-large.pdf

There is this article in the Independent too. 
https://www.independent.co.uk/money/new-data-powers-could-allow-dwp-to-snoop-on-pensioners-bank-accounts-b2455706.html

I suspect the legislation was an extension to allow the data cross matching to include those bank accounts of people in receipt of state pension and pension credit rather than any attempt to lay the groundwork for means testing the state pension, but why let the facts get in the way of a good story, especially when no one will look past the headlines.
.