- The Department for Work and Pensions has detailed the specific bank account information it can request under new powers granted by the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act.
- Banks will be required to provide account holder names, account numbers, sort codes, overall balances, and dates of foreign transactions for targeted benefit claimants.
- Officials confirmed the government cannot view live bank transactions or full statements, with the checks currently restricted to Universal Credit, Pension Credit, and New Style ESA.
- Financial institutions must comply with Eligibility Verification Measures or face penalties, aiding the identification of ineligible claims such as Universal Credit recipients with over £16,000 in savings.
- The DWP can also directly deduct funds from accounts to recover overpayments, aiming to save £1.5bn by 2029/30 despite criticism from civil liberties groups over privacy concerns.
IN FULL
