Investigators will check the bank accounts of millions of claimants

The DWP has explained how sweeping new anti-fraud powers will work in practice. A raft of new measures are about come into force, to clamp down on fraudulent and other incorrect payments in the DWP benefits system. These include new eligibility checks where investigators will request bank account details for millions of benefit claimants, to check they do in fact qualify for their payments.

These measures will initially be used to check the details of people who claim Universal Credit , Employment and Support Allowance and Pension Credit. The legislation states that this could be expanded to other DWP benefits in due course.

In cases of suspected fraud, DWP officials will get significantly enhanced powers to deman

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