A pilot scheme by the Department for Work and Pensions to monitor bank accounts has discovered tens of thousands of benefit claimants violating regulations. The DWP enlisted two high street banks to test the measures for feasibility.
Currently, the DWP can only check accounts if it already suspects fraud or as part of the initial verification of a benefit claim. The new powers would allow regular monitoring of accounts to ensure people qualify for state support, reports Wales Online. It further added: "The above results of the small-scale tests with two banks and building societies indicate a strong potential for the use of banking data to identify possible capital and abroad fraud and error across a range of means-tested benefits."
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