DWP quietly legalise taking money straight from benefit ‘fraudsters’ bank accounts

As much as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) loves crowing about how they’ll CRACKDOWN on benefit “fraudsters”, of late they’ve instead favoured sneaking plans that will ruin benefit claimants’ lives out under the radar. I previously reported on how DWP chief Pat McFadden has decided that new plans and policies won’t always get press fanfare, but instead will be announced as they happen. This, of course, led to them pushing out 23 pieces of benefits reform information in one day. But, beyond that, it’s led to a culture where the DWP have overwhelmed the press and campaigners so much that a lot of important things get missed.

DWP quietly pushes out snooping on claimants’ bank accounts

One such thing, announced yesterday, pushes through a policy that gives the DWP even more powers to punish those who commit benefit fraud.

The department announced in a press release:

Benefit cheats, fraudsters and debtors who can afford to repay but refuse will have money taken directly from their bank accounts or lose their driver’s licence under tough new laws approved today.

The release is actually announcing the royal assent and passing into law of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error, and Recovery) Act. The act means that the DWP now has the power not only to spy on benefit claimants’ bank accounts but will also be able to take back money directly without the account holders’ consent.

Crucially, while the bill passed into law yesterday and claims to protect people, it doesn’t actually have a code of practice yet. The release states the consultation for the code of practice hasn’t even happened. Of course, it’s massively irresponsible to put out such an important bill without literal codes on how it will work.

Wait, the driver’s license plan was real?!

When this was first floated out to the media, very few people took it seriously. Amongst all the other bullshit being thrown at benefits claimants, I called the idea:

yet another piece of clickbait for the mainstream media.

Because that’s honestly what it seemed like, something so illogical that surely they were only saying it to appeal to the “me mams uncle’s goldfish gets a free car for saying he’s got acne” types. This is part of the reason why it makes sense that this bill has been slipped out quietly. The DWP knows that not only do many object to them snooping on bank accounts of claimants, but that much of it will face ridicule.

Underhanded

It’s clear that sneaking out plans that they know will receive pushback is the DWP’s new norm. But, it’s something that’s only been made possible because so many are champing at the bit for ‘scroungers’ to lose their benefits. There’s no shortage of press coverage for ‘people pretending to have ADHD so they get a free car’ type stories, because that’s exactly what the DWP wants.

By only publicising reports and releases that will turn the public further against disabled people, the DWP is making it easier to quietly push out policies that will affect us all.

Featured image via the Canary