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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Vicky Shaw

DWP’s new bank account checking powers ‘must have risk of over-reach mitigated’

The Public Accounts Committee said said the Department for Work and Pensions should evaluate how well it is encouraging claimants to report changes in their circumstances (Dominic Lipinski/PA Archive) - (PA Archive)

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) must make sure it uses its significant new bank account checking powers proportionately because public trust is at stake, according to a spending watchdog.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) highlighted how the DWP has been given powers to compel banks and other financial institutions to provide information to help verify a claimant’s eligibility and entitlement to benefits.

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