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Original poster

Are you happy for the government to automatically have the ability to have a look at your bank account?

350 replies

LeRougeEtLeNoir · 04/12/2023 19:37

So the government wants (and very likely will get) the ability to look at the bank account of anyone receiving

  • UC
  • a pension
  • child benefit
  • PIP etc…
How comfortable are you to see them been able to do that? Even though a pension or child benefit isn’t income related so there is no fraud to tackle. And they won’t tell you about it either. I mean that’s about every single one of us there.

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/new-legislation-gives-government-permission-to-snoop-on-your-bank-account-364408/?fbclid=IwAR3XA89weQHzsIEN7A2TSigPcWM183fGKTkH7ByaainNVTcgeR8e0RXAr24

New legislation gives government permission to snoop on your bank account

A clause in the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill hands the DWP power to inspect the bank accounts.

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/new-legislation-gives-government-permission-to-snoop-on-your-bank-account-364408/?fbclid=IwAR3XA89weQHzsIEN7A2TSigPcWM183fGKTkH7ByaainNVTcgeR8e0RXAr24

OP posts:
FindingMeno · 05/12/2023 18:21

No not at all.
Especially seeing as so many in a position of power/ authority/ wealth are so good at keeping what they've got.

Lovesacake · 05/12/2023 18:25

I’m genuinely shocked that so many people still have trust and confidence in this government! They really believe this power will be used wisely and fairly and that lots of fraudsters will be caught as a result??

I do not fall into any of the target categories so am unlikely to be affected and I still say fuck no! Those lying, cheating, corrupt fuckers should not be getting random access to citizens bank accounts without a warrant from the court.

EmmaEmerald · 05/12/2023 18:30

@Lovesacake it's not just this government, it's global.

Anita02 · 05/12/2023 18:54

It's nothing but kidology to win votes. They are going to means test it to make the system more efficient. Well there is 19 billion unclaimed or underpaid. So let's claw back 6.5 but pay out 19. It's so people focus on the wrong things, benefit cheats are a drop in the ocean compared to the fraud of the people in power. They are not on our side.

vernatheraven · 05/12/2023 19:23

AutumnCrow · 04/12/2023 20:00

No I'm not. This is chilling.

I can quite imagine my PIP for mobility being suspended because 'I keep going shopping'.

Yeah, that's my carer with my bank card ...

Or maybe they'll suspend my PIP for daily living because that card is buying the wrong kind of shopping?

Yeah, those are things that I buy with my freelance income ...

Meanwhile, the last thing the DWP will do is communicate with HMRC to go after all the men evading child support.

Agree.

Fought for CMS for years. They won't use this to help single parents and CMS dodgers.

I feel this will impact the most vulnerable as they will be seen as easy targets.

EmmaEmerald · 05/12/2023 19:25

Anita02 · 05/12/2023 18:54

It's nothing but kidology to win votes. They are going to means test it to make the system more efficient. Well there is 19 billion unclaimed or underpaid. So let's claw back 6.5 but pay out 19. It's so people focus on the wrong things, benefit cheats are a drop in the ocean compared to the fraud of the people in power. They are not on our side.

Even for those who aren’t worried, how would this win votes?

vernatheraven · 05/12/2023 19:27

Saw this today on instagram.

It's not us, the general public whose accounts they want to be looking at. It's their own.

But that won't happen.

Anyone who says they have nothing to hide do you really believe the government will do anything good for us with this?

Are you happy for the government to automatically have the ability to have a look at your bank account?
vernatheraven · 05/12/2023 19:29

It looks like the massive fuck up it is. They have to claw back some of their massive fuck up so this will be how.

Bleakmidwinter1977 · 05/12/2023 19:32

Not long until we are living in a totalitarian regime. All our rights being eroded. And half of you here will be happy for the Government to install CCTV in your houses as you have "nothing to hide".

Anita02 · 05/12/2023 19:34

Because of kidology..the government along with the media paint a picture that our troubles are because of benefits. They also do the same with immigration. Stir the pot to make people think these are our major issues when its so far from the real problems we face. It's morally wrong but people accept it because "they might catch the bad guys." People fall for it and vote for it. The same thing has just happened with brexit. It's ridiculous that people believe their agendas.

JenniferBooth · 05/12/2023 19:43

vernatheraven · 05/12/2023 19:29

It looks like the massive fuck up it is. They have to claw back some of their massive fuck up so this will be how.

Yep and they are after clawing back the cost of the lockdowns. Something else i warned about three years ago, I said it wouldnt be the middle classes or the rich they try to claw it back from.

rwalker · 05/12/2023 21:00

I mean could they genuinely be arsed to look and what use would the info of how much I’ve got in the bank be useful to them

EmmaEmerald · 05/12/2023 21:02

rwalker · 05/12/2023 21:00

I mean could they genuinely be arsed to look and what use would the info of how much I’ve got in the bank be useful to them

They have sold your health data

they will sell financial data

they will sell any data

and for their own ends - social credit.

RM2013 · 05/12/2023 21:08

I don’t think they should have unlimited access to view someone’s personal accounts. It’s an invasion of privacy. Does this also mean that wealthy politicians would now have to be more transparent with their accounts and the same access rights allowed??? I highly doubt it

XenoBitch · 05/12/2023 21:32

I am on UC and am terrified about this.
Anyone who thinks it will just be to check you are not over the £6k limit (that triggers a taper in benefits) is deluded.
It will compare incomings and outgoings. It will monitor your spending habits.... too many outgoings compared to what you get paid? Well, that must mean you have a side hustle using another account. Stop your benefits for an investigation.
Your mum or friend pays you a couple of hundred to pay a bill or heaven forbid, treat yourself, then it must be a cash in hand job you have. Stop your benefits for an investigation.
You go to Waitrose instead of Lidl. Well, you are getting paid too much then. Stop your benefits for an investigation.
You had a mass clear out and sold a lot of second hand stuff on eBay/Vinted. You must have a side hustle.. You guessed it... stop your benefits for an investigation.

People saying it is ok if you have nothing to hide. Would you like the police to go check your home for illegal activity on a monthly basis? No warrant or justification for it.

keye · 05/12/2023 21:36

Why do they need to know how much money disabled people have in the bank?

Rummikub · 05/12/2023 21:38

Actually pp makes a good point. What happens if you sell your stuff on eBay ? Is that income??

CaroleSinger · 05/12/2023 21:40

I think the current legislation goes far enough. There's already an ability to check accounts if they suspect fraud and my understanding is that if you refuse consent they stop your claim. There should be reason to suspect rather than being able to check on everyone regardless.

fetchacloth · 05/12/2023 21:42

everybluesock · 04/12/2023 19:44

Yep, I think it's good for the following reasons:

  • parents who say they can't pay child maintenance
  • people who are trying to cheat the system
  • people who don't pay tax

I agree. 😁

NettleTea · 05/12/2023 21:43

User136921 · 05/12/2023 06:21

Maybe it will stop people claiming child benefit or State pension if they don't like it, there is always that choice, I never claimed JSA when I was made redundant a couple of times as it was too much hassle and would have took up more time than it was worth. No need for them to check your bank account then.

you likely had savings. so you were fortunate. If you are low paid and unable to save more than £6K then it doesnt take much to realise that this sort of safety net wont go far - and certainly wouldnt carry you through 5 months between jobs

HRTQueen · 05/12/2023 21:54

Well anyone who is will just get another bank account and many people have more than one account

prefer if the money was spent on tightening tax loopholes and changing the tax system

I hope Labour oppose this as it will take some time before it shall be implemented and by then we should have a new government

Rummikub · 05/12/2023 21:56

sixteenfurryfeet · Today 17:14

There are way more bank accounts than there are staff available to look at them. And even if they used some computerised algorithm to pick out accounts 'of interest' they'd still need to go through those, and it would take forever.

@sixteenfurryfeet

AI will do it. It changes everything.

Smart motorways will have AI to detect what mobile phone use. Instant fine.

There was a trial where AI checked for motoring offences and it clocked so many. Gold mine.

Imagine what AI can do with your bank account data. It can compare people’s financial behaviour. How much does the average family on benefits need? Oh they’ve built up x amount in savings or can spend this much on luxuries. We can give less.

Rummikub · 05/12/2023 21:58

You have to report all
accounts to DWP when claiming UC.

And if you have a transfer in then that account can be checked too

EmmaEmerald · 05/12/2023 22:00

@XenoBitch agree

@HRTQueen they'll have the right to nose into all accounts

My friend is applying for a mortgage atm and she's been asked an insane level of questions about payments to and from her mum

It's as simple as her mum helped her with some stuff before payday, it's cheaper for the family to have car insurance in one policy etc but the level of questioning is nuts, and when asking the mortgage people, they say it's about fraud and money laundering.

Labour might delay this move but they will go for it eventually, all governments want this.

MidgeFragnets · 05/12/2023 22:05

I feel its an abuse of power. Most peoe claim some kind of benefit, be it UC, child benefit or state pension, so it's a means of accessing everyone's data under the guise of combating fraud. It's bullshit.

We need to be looking at the bank accounts of the wealthy if you want to look for fraud, not those of people on benefits.