New proposed DWP powers will enable information gathering from more third-party organisations such as airlines.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has told Parliament people entitled to claim benefits have “nothing to worry about” from new powers designed to end multibillion-pound fraud in the welfare system. Liz Kendall sought to assure MPs over the scope of the changes contained in the Public Authorities Bill, amid concerns it could act as a “snoopers’ charter”.
Ms Kendall explained: “Our new eligibility verification measure will enable us to require banks or other financial institutions to provide crucial data to help identify incorrect benefit payments people might be getting, including fraudulently, such as if someone has too much in savings, making them ineligible for a benefit, or if they are fraudulently claiming benefits abroad when they should be living in the UK.
“There will also be independent oversight of this power on the face of the Bill, with a requirement to produce reports and lay them before Parliament.” “This includes: fraud against our public services, like those who abuse the tax system; dishonest companies who use deception to win public contracts and manipulate invoices; and benefit fraud by criminal gangs and individuals, which now stands at a staggering £7.4 billion a year.”
“So will the Secretary of State agree that whilst they pursue criminal organised gangs, it’s really important that we make clear that there cannot be any hostile approach to disabled people claiming PIP or disabled people more widely using the benefits system as they deserve to.” Ms Kendall said the Information Commissioner’s Office has reviewed the UK Government’s proposals and is “very clear the measure now more tightly scopes the information that can and cannot be shared, specifies much more clearly those in the scope of the power, requires a code of practice that will be a statutory code of practice before measures are taken”.
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