Data protection bill: Will the UK government soon be able to spy on your bank account?

Name: Data protection bill: Will the UK government soon be able to spy on your bank account? | Humix Video
Uploaded: 2024-10-07T12:19:40+00:00
Duration: 2 min 14 s

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Did you know the government will likely soon be able to check the bank accounts of state benefit recipients under new powers aimed to torch out fraud
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Under the current rules, the Department for Work and Pensions only has the right to request information from a named claimant's bank account if it suspects fraud
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However, under new proposals, the government will be able to compel banks to automatically flag suspicious activity from continuous monitoring of benefit claimant's bank accounts
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in an effort to reduce fraud and errors, which cost £8 billion per year
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The government has said the measures would save taxpayers £600 million over the next five years
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CITEM first reported concerns over the new measures last November, with dozens of charities and campaign groups now warning of wrongful benefit suspensions
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if the measures pass through Parliament. And now, an online petition calling on the UK government to abandon the so-called mass bank spying powers
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is nearing its target of 200,000 signatures. The plaintiffs have accused the government of slipping through the new powers with minimal debate
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and aiming to police the spending of the poorest in our society Civil Liberties Group Big Brother Watch started the petition in January and it is now gained over 167 signatures Silky Carlo the group chief executive wrote on X saying
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if the Prime Minister were to stand in front of the nation and vowed to constantly and repeatedly
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search the bank accounts of every one of us, the public would be outraged, yet that's what's
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being smuggled into UK law right now. Legal advice commissioned by Big Brother Watch claims the
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proposals would likely breach privacy law by applying to bank accounts with no reasonable grounds
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for believing a particular individual has engaged in benefit fraud or has made any mistake in
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claiming benefits. A DWP spokesperson told Citi AM that the changes would not allow direct access
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to people's bank accounts. They added that third parties would only be required to share limited
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data where it may help the DWP establish whether benefits are being paid in line with rules
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surrounding those benefits. The spokesperson said that the DWP will not be able to see how claimants or pensioners spend their money
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Here at City AM, we'd like to know. Do you think the government should be checking the bank accounts of state benefit recipients
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Let us know in the comments below and sign up to our newsletter to stay informed

Data protection bill: Will the UK government soon be able to spy on your bank account?

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Data protection bill: Will the UK government soon be able to spy on your bank account?

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