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Original poster

Benefits Claim - Bank statements

32 replies

newnameoldme · 02/06/2017 14:21

I have finally made an appointment to see if I can claim any benefits and they have asked me to take 3 months bank statements.
I understand I have to show any savings but I really do not see why I should be expected to share my private information of 3 months of my spending when I was a private person not claiming any state benefits.

How can I avoid this without refusing something that will mark me out as deviant from the beginning?

OP posts:
guessmysign · 02/06/2017 14:46

I think you will have to submit the statements if you want to make the claim. Even if you had money before claiming benefits, if you spent an excessive amount in order to bring your savings below the limit, they can treat you as if you still had the money. So that is why they need to see recent statements.

If you are eligible for contributions based benefits you could choose just to claim that and not any income based benefit,and you wouldn't have to supply financial details.

If you apply for tax credits I don't think they ask for bank statements, and that has a separate application process from benefits. Do you know if you're in a UC area?

Original poster
newnameoldme · 02/06/2017 15:11

thanks guessmysign

submitting 3 months of my spending seems really intrusive though and i really don't want to share that information
i wanted to claim tax credits but have been waiting 2 months for a form! when i called the benefits mainline they put me through to the local job centre and booked the appointment there

OP posts:
Auspiciouspanda · 02/06/2017 15:19

I'm a benefit assessor so I literally look at about 20 bank statements a day. You're applying for a means tested benefit which means that you have to provide proof of your finances. I'm sorry you think it's intrusive but we don't actually care or remember what you spend your money on.

Original poster
newnameoldme · 02/06/2017 15:24

auspiciouspanda thanks - so no judgement will be made on my spending habits?
Is it not possible to give proof of balance of accounts without 3 months itemised statement?
I just feel so humiliated to have to show where and what i spent money on in past 3 months. it's really stressing me out

OP posts:
Ktown · 02/06/2017 15:27

If it makes you feel better it is the same for a mortgage except that is intrusive and they do look at spending
I wouldn't worry as they are unlikely to be interested

Auspiciouspanda · 02/06/2017 15:29

No, we're all regular normal people who also have spending habits. Your bank statement will be quickly scanned over just to check for signs of hidden capital or income. I doubt they'll accept proof of balance as we need to see transactions in and out of your account.

Babyroobs · 02/06/2017 16:15

If you want to claim means tested benefits then they will want to see the bank statements. They will be more interested in what money you have coming in than going out. It's to check you don't have any income that you haven't told them about.

Oldsu · 03/06/2017 05:12

I just feel so humiliated to have to show where and what i spent money on in past 3 months. it's really stressing me out

I am sure you would be more stressed out if you didn't get the income based benefits you want, so you have the choice, claim and show the legitimate proof they require or don't claim at all.

And don't worry they won't mark you down as deviant if you refuse they will just make you down as not entitled because you cant prove you are.

ArgyMargy · 03/06/2017 06:34

Really? You want the government to hand you money without checking that you're entitled to it? Would you be happy for them to be this lax with everyone else? Or are you special in some way? Be grateful there are benefits to be handed out in this country.

AliCat36 · 03/06/2017 06:44

If you want to claim the benefits you'll have to produce the bank statements. If you don't, your claim will be refused.

As others have said, it's to show whether you've had money coming in that you haven't declared, or that you've had money & spent/transferred it deliberately when you could have used it instead of claiming benefits. Showing only a balance wouldn't be enough as it wouldn't show any undeclared income/capital.

FlossyMooToo · 03/06/2017 06:48

I look at peoples bank statements all the time for the same reason benefits do and tbh its not the outgoings that interest me its the incomings.
I scan down the right hand side where it shows the amounts and only look at what it is when its money going in not going out.

Hdgshsksk · 03/06/2017 09:52

I just feel so humiliated to have to show where and what i spent money on in past 3 months. it's really stressing me out

I'm intrigued as to what you could have spent money on that would be embarrassing? Gambling? MacDonalds everyday? Daily Mail subscription? Fetish Wear R Us? 🤔

MacarenaFerreiro · 03/06/2017 10:05

They're not interested in what you're spending on. They are interested in your financial situation and checking you're not sitting with £50k in your deposit account.

LadyLapsang · 03/06/2017 18:15

All our bank statements give a lot of information about our lifestyles. If this does not fit with what you state when you make the claim then it is right that you would be questioned.Why do you think you should not be treated the same as other claimants?

Original poster
newnameoldme · 04/06/2017 16:09

gosh you're a bit grim the knicker elastic hoisting judgey pants brigade 'what's so special about you etc..!' well i'm a bit precious actually Halo

I just hadn't expected 3 or 2 months ago to be considering applying for any state benefits and was a bit surprised this information could be requested for a future claim.

But I understand the point about income and capital - thank you non judgemental real life assessors

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 04/06/2017 19:54

I would have thought most people realise that for means tested benefits bank statements and details of income have to be provided otherwise how could they decide who was and who wasn't entitled to benefits. None of us like our bank statements being scrutinised but it's a needs must I'm afraid to prevent fraudsters.

But on the other hand fraudsters are clever but it's other honest people that have to suffer from this intrusiveness.

GardenGeek · 04/06/2017 19:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TreeTop7 · 05/06/2017 15:15

I often see clients' statements and I don't scrutinise every detail, or remember much. When you work in a role whereby you see a lot of personal info, you kind of become desensitised to it. The novelty wears off early.

billzee789 · 21/01/2022 18:56

I claim an allowance as a special guardian. Each year the allowance comes under review. It is possible to submit bank statements but redact the outgoing movements. This has been accepted for 12 years but now all of a sudden they want to see all details of financial movements.
Since this benefit is means tested then incoming payments should be enough to support the claim anything else is way to invasive

billzee789 · 21/01/2022 19:04

@Auspiciouspanda

I'm a benefit assessor so I literally look at about 20 bank statements a day. You're applying for a means tested benefit which means that you have to provide proof of your finances. I'm sorry you think it's intrusive but we don't actually care or remember what you spend your money on.
If you dont actually care about outgoings why insist that they be provided. Surely its the income that is relevant
billzee789 · 21/01/2022 19:09

@MacarenaFerreiro

They're not interested in what you're spending on. They are interested in your financial situation and checking you're not sitting with £50k in your deposit account.
If thats the case why not accept details of income on the statement rather than outgoings as well. Any money in the account is revealed by the incomings. How its spent is private. Its too invasive.
Hboo31 · 22/01/2022 13:36

@billzee789 whilst they might not care what you're spending, they will care about transfers out to accounts such as savings or investments that haven't been declared.

toppkatz · 22/01/2022 13:57

They're not as interested in your spending as they are in finding out whether your outgoings match up with what you say is your income.

People whose spending habits don't coincide with their income suggests are often receiving money from other sources that they don't declare, such as cash-in-hand jobs.

For instance if your bank statements show that you make almost no payments for supermarket shopping but you make no cash withdrawals either, it suggests that you are buying your food with other income that you haven't declared to them.

billzee789 · 24/01/2022 12:31

Some good points made above. I guess I go back to my original point.
For 12 years redacted outgoings were ignored and my statements were accepted. Why has it been accepted for all those years but not now.
I have had no explanation for this anomally.

Outnumbered99 · 24/01/2022 12:36

Agree with @TreeTop7 i see a lot of bank statements as part of my job and honestly you won't be judged you become desensitised very quickly.
Bit like poor nurses doing smears all day i guess once youve seen one youve seen them all

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