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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Peablockfeathers · 04/12/2023 20:29

underneaththeash · 04/12/2023 20:23

Surely it's a good thing, I assume from your post that you take a lot rather than give. But for the rest of us tax payers it will stop fraud and mean that there is more money to share.

No it's not a good thing, benefit fraud is nothing compared to tax fraud, yet the government isn't doing anything to address that. A large % of the population recieve one of these benefits- child maintenance for example most parents claim, even the ones who have to essentially pay it back do to keep the NI payments going. What exactly are they needing to access for the non means tested benefits as well? It's not fraud because other income isn't considered, and there are checks conducted anyway when you first claim; I'm extremely curious to know the government's actual intention is with this.

Thelnebriati · 04/12/2023 20:30

''Anyone worried has something to hide''
''The innocent have nothing to fear.''

The sort of thing said by useful idiots.

JenniferBooth · 04/12/2023 20:31

I bloody doubt it Half the fucking Cabinet probably owe or are evading Child Maintenance

catotangent · 04/12/2023 20:31

ScremeEggs · 04/12/2023 20:28

Anyone worried has something to hide
Load of bollocks.

Agree. Absolute bollocks. This would have no impact personally on me either, but I strongly oppose it.

Workworkandmoreworknow · 04/12/2023 20:31

More than happy. Hopefully it will stop fraud. If you’ve nothing to hide why would you object ?

I have nothing to hide. Where does it stop? Do they get to question how I spend my money? Will what I purchase be used to prove something? Or as evidence I do/don’t need something?

mantyzer · 04/12/2023 20:31

StarDolphins · 04/12/2023 20:29

I’m ok with this, I have nothing to hide.

Then you are naive. You have no idea how this information will be used in the future.

SarahShorty · 04/12/2023 20:31

As a PP said upthread, privacy is not something people should be so willing to give away. If you suspect everyone is doing something dodgy or not quite above board, then you have trust issues. And we already have a lot of people in government with trust issues, which is why they want to do this in the first place, under the guise of preventing fraud.

OP posts:
User136921 · 04/12/2023 20:31

The government will likely change soon so maybe the Labour Party will get rid of it, maybe they won't think it's a good thing, maybe they will...

catotangent · 04/12/2023 20:31

Thelnebriati · 04/12/2023 20:30

''Anyone worried has something to hide''
''The innocent have nothing to fear.''

The sort of thing said by useful idiots.

Agree

Tileoh · 04/12/2023 20:32

People saying they don't mind as they have nothing to hide, most people don't, so why does everyone need to be scrutinised like this? If they believe something is amiss they have the power to check.

This is like saying 'I'm not a murderer, I ahve nothing to kide' so the police can storm your house an take all your electronics etc...

That's extreme example but the point is people, even on benefits, are entitled to privacy. If there's reason to believe something is wrong then they can apply to check.

But everyone shouldn't have to be treated like a criminal because of a few.

It's more and more government sanction intrusion of privacy.

MrsTerryPratchett · 04/12/2023 20:32

underneaththeash · 04/12/2023 20:23

Surely it's a good thing, I assume from your post that you take a lot rather than give. But for the rest of us tax payers it will stop fraud and mean that there is more money to share.

I'm a net contributor. In order of people to target:

Parents men who don't contribute to their children.
Tax dodging rich people.
And corporations.
And people in public office who fiddle stuff.

Anyone living in poverty who is taking a few quid extra.

JenniferBooth · 04/12/2023 20:32

Workworkandmoreworknow · 04/12/2023 20:31

More than happy. Hopefully it will stop fraud. If you’ve nothing to hide why would you object ?

I have nothing to hide. Where does it stop? Do they get to question how I spend my money? Will what I purchase be used to prove something? Or as evidence I do/don’t need something?

Could get interesting if you have an account with Lovehoney or Rocks Off

A real chance for them to show their misogyny

CrispsandCheeseSandwich · 04/12/2023 20:33

Maybe they should be allowed into people's houses without a warrant too - after all, if you've got nothing to hide...

ElevenSeven · 04/12/2023 20:33

JenniferBooth · 04/12/2023 20:31

I bloody doubt it Half the fucking Cabinet probably owe or are evading Child Maintenance

What makes you say this? Just your own opinion?

StarDolphins · 04/12/2023 20:33

mantyzer · 04/12/2023 20:31

Then you are naive. You have no idea how this information will be used in the future.

Show quote history

Do you know how this information will be used in the future?

Fionaville · 04/12/2023 20:33

I'm horrified that anybody would support giving the government this kind of power.

SarahShorty · 04/12/2023 20:33

It's also worth mentioning that CBDC will entail expiration dates on currency. You have to spend it within a time frame, otherwise you lose it. This keeps money from being saved. That's another thing the government doesn't like; savers/sensible spenders.

BeyondMeasure · 04/12/2023 20:34

Ah that's okay, a quick gooogle filled me in on any blanks!

underneaththeash · 04/12/2023 20:34

MrsTerryPratchett · 04/12/2023 20:32

I'm a net contributor. In order of people to target:

Parents men who don't contribute to their children.
Tax dodging rich people.
And corporations.
And people in public office who fiddle stuff.

Anyone living in poverty who is taking a few quid extra.

Show quote history

There are those, but there are less than people who fiddle the benefits system.

Tileoh · 04/12/2023 20:34

They could retrieve 100x the amount lost on benefit fraud by forcing multi million pound companies and billionaires to pay their taxes...

JenniferBooth · 04/12/2023 20:34

SarahShorty · 04/12/2023 20:31

As a PP said upthread, privacy is not something people should be so willing to give away. If you suspect everyone is doing something dodgy or not quite above board, then you have trust issues. And we already have a lot of people in government with trust issues, which is why they want to do this in the first place, under the guise of preventing fraud.

After their disgusting carry on during lockdowns and restrictions WE have more right to fucking trust issues than they do!

Peablockfeathers · 04/12/2023 20:34

StarDolphins · 04/12/2023 20:33

Do you know how this information will be used in the future?

Show quote history

Not knowing is infinitely worse.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 04/12/2023 20:34

@SarahShorty

Now that I didn't realise. Bloody hell.

pointythings · 04/12/2023 20:35

So many people so eager to hand over their privacy to this government. Where is the scrutiny of their donors? Why has this been brought in without so much as a debate in Parliament? What has happened to 'innocent until proven guilty'? The DWP can already look at bank accounts if they suspect fraud, so this won't make any difference at all - except to strike fear into the hearts of the vulnerable. More performative cruelty from the Tory party.

I don't receive benefits, btw.

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