Government to require banks to do monthly checks on the accounts of people on benefits and report back

[IncompleteSenten]

I read about this here.

metro.co.uk/2023/11/06/benefits-claimants-to-have-bank-accounts-checked-monthly-in-crackdown-19779875/

Do you think they will do it or it'll be blocked?

It sounds awful. If I was on unemployment benefit I'd feel really humiliated. I understand fraud happens but bloody hell this is really not on.

It isn't even a billion. This particular scheme will apparently save £50 million a year for the next five years. That really is loose change.

Anyway, any savvy fraudster will be able to overcome this. It is the innocent who will suffer.

I own a business and I have to submit audited accounts. My business and personal accounts are climbed all over annually, despite the fact I pay a metric fuck ton of tax. I have nothing to hide, so I give not single fuck about what they look at. Not sure why it should be any different for anyone else?

Well, this has made me anxious as hell. I am on UC (my sole income).

Will my benefits be stopped because DWP can see I have Netflix? It just feels like a huge intrusion on privacy.

You’d rather anti-democratic presumption of innocence principles were undermined for the attempted clawing back of a pittance when there is actual criminal behaviour going on, rather than desperate people on the periphery trying to score some extra cash each month with a cash in hand cleaning job to try and make ends meet? Cause it’s not like benefits leave you rolling in it. It’s repulsive behaviour trying to victimise those who are already victims of circumstance.

even worse? They don’t expect to recover 1bn. But 500mn over 5 years. And you watch, some corrupt MP will pay his mate who learned to code at the “eton school of talking like a fuckwit but not actually able to do the job” so that the supposed 500mn ‘saved’ ends up being wasted and sent into the pockets of yet another incompetent and corrupt mate of some high level government personality.

I would rather it stayed in the hands of those who have earned sufficiently little to actually qualify for benefits.

They already do. Like they also use info from the land registry re property sales etc. they already have a massive amount of information from many sources.

Why will the innocent suffer? If people are honest on their claims. Then they have nothing to fear. As said this happens elsewhere already, dividends and bank interest is checked by the government for tax returns.

if people are honest in their claims ie the innocent there is nothing to fear.

This can’t be a serious question?

The ultra rich haven't been near the Land Registry in a few centuries. It's route 101 in how to stay rich.

Also it’s not people sitting looking at it, it will be a computer program that will trawl accounts and highlight any that have more than x in savings or have more funds coming in regularly, over a certain level.

I don't think they are looking at what you spend it on, unless large amounts of money are being moved. Some of my work clients are alcoholics and claiming disability benefits their bank statements would show a lot being spent on alcohol but I think it is accepted that that is going to happen.

I don't think people are aware how much scrutiny our finances are under on a regular basis. It's not really all that well publicised though.

Why will the innocent suffer?

Because that's being a Tory for you.

Actually that's a bit glib. The real reason is that in Tory land, no one is innocent. (Certainly not the government it seems)

Yep. I work and claim UC. I am take my kids on a cheap holiday every year. I have a car and just put four new tires on it. How long till this spending becomes criticized? If you can afford a static in Wales for four nights you shouldn't be on benefits. If you can afford a car you shouldn't be on benefits. I can see it now.

Yes it won’t be that smart, it isn’t about how you spend it, that’s not benefit fraud. It’s about earning on the side or having more savings than admitted

Because the DWP are absolutely notorious for cocking up and stopping people's benefits when they shouldn't.

Why doesn't the government check all our bank accounts on a monthly basis to make sure we're not evading tax? Why just benefit claimants?

That’s really quite extreme..

As someone with 40 years plus experience of computers that fucking terrifies me.

You are of course free to counter with an extensive list of UK government IT projects that have been a success.

Thank you. I see you comment on similar threads a lot and know you have knowledge and experience in this area.

I think it's quite naive to think people won't be anxious about it, even when 100% honest. If you're seeing media hatred toward your demographic, calls to be "dobbed in", people cheering policies like this etc it will be a very strong person to not have some underlying level of anxiety bubbling away.

Yes they never have any way of catching the self employed charging people less to avoid tax, that just seems to be rife but no way of catching them.

It is. But pre 2010 I would have thought that the government having access to my bank accounts on the assumption that I am likely to commit a crime because I'm on benefits as being extreme.

Well as said they already do for dividends and interest. I am not sure what else is checked, I would assume company accounts, self employed etc.

and this specific action is for benefit claimants. There are other actions for tax evaders.

if people are honest in their claims ie the innocent there is nothing to fear

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oh you were serious 😬

For three months, they underwent compulsory work training, followed by a further three months of work for voluntary organisations.

This is the kind of thing that pisses me off. If there is three months' work needing doing for organisations, for fuck's sake employ these people to do it; i.e. on a proper wage, not benefits.

Do you think they care? The point is to have something that puts people off. The idea is to turn off benefits immediately after running the programme.

I agree once the cost of this would be prohibitive. But AI will decide, and terminate payments automatically. No human involvement.