DWP and access to bank accounts.

Hello I am new here. Can anyone answer my question please?

There's so much being said about the DWP and them wanting to see / pry into people's bank accounts.


Have the DWP got the legal right to look and how far back into the account, a week, 6 months a year or more. Will or has the DWP be granted access to people's bank account? Or has the idea been binned.

Thanks.

I think at the moment the DWP would first need to suspect you are commiting fraud before they can access a bank account (I think they can pretty much always just write to you and ask for statements and suspend your benefit if you don't send them).

From memory I don't think people who are claiming PIP would have things dealt with on the fraud track at present, there is another department called compliance who deal with disabled people, and I don't think there are any criminal proceedings involved, I don't know if they can apply to view your accounts etc

the new law has to get through the house of lords yet, and there will be a change of government by the end of the year, and possibly in late spring, so the new government would also have to like the idea enough to carry on with it

incidentally anyone can write to their MP and tell them you don't like this idea and think it should be binned