Question

After a recent relationship breakup my partner unfortunatly turned nasty toward the end and has been causing trouble for a while , I have tried to ignore it up until now but one thing she said she was going to do was ask a friends wife who works for the DWP to find out about my benefits, personal details etc. I had recently been awarded DLA and ordered a motobility car off the scheme as she has no interest in cars I said I was leasing a car for 3 years so that was that, now she has gone out of her way to tell people friends have been targeted about the car now I'm not doing anything wrong but with all the press etc at the moment people don,t understand disability. Q are the DWP not supposed to keep personnel information confidential as the only way she would know the car is on the scheme is via her friend wife should I complain to the DWP or ask a solicitors advice? Life with long term ill health is stressful enough without someone trying to create further problems.

The DWP are not allowed under any circumstances to divulge any information about a claimant's benefit entitlement to any third party.

Claimants have protection under the Data Protection Act, the Officials Secret Act which is signed and binding on all DWP employees, and the Human Rights Act. If a person's confidential information is breached by the DWP, this would inevitably result in potentially serious repercussions for the Department.

I very much doubt that the mischief-making which you ex-partner is intending will ever materialise with the DWP's involvement, but if you do have reason for suspicion and you can reasonably prove the facts, this would be the time to approach a solicitor.

Thanks for your reply, I am 99% certain at least one friend has been the targeted with this mischief making he has made a few snide remarks regarding the car, I,m certain he knows presumably the person working at the DWP could easily access my records and inform my ex what benefit Im receiving and that the payment is going to the car scheme . This is creating an offensive enviroment, Where would I stand if I was challenged in a pub say or in front of others as this particular person is confrontational.