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DWP now checking bank accounts for Universal Credit and Pension Credit
The new rules form part of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill, which ministers say will help identify benefit fraud and prevent people from building up large overpayments they later have to repay.
However, despite widespread concern over the changes, the Government insists the new powers are far more limited than many people realise.
The DWP says it cannot access bank statements, view individual transactions or see what claimants spend their money on under the new Eligibility Verification Measure.
Instead, banks and building societies will be required to carry out checks against eligibility criteria set by the DWP and only share limited information where an account appears to match those indicators.
The three DWP benefits affected first
The DWP says: “The measure will initially focus on benefits where incorrect payments are currently highest, these are:
“Other benefits could be added with the approval of Parliament in the future through affirmative regulations.”
The DWP says these benefits were chosen because they currently account for the highest levels of incorrect payments.
Importantly, State Pension is specifically excluded from the new powers and ministers have confirmed it cannot be added later using secondary legislation.
Can the DWP see my bank account?
According to the Government, the new powers do not give DWP direct access to anyone’s bank account.
Instead, banks and other financial institutions will examine their own records and compare them against eligibility indicators supplied by the department.
The GOV.UK guidance states: “The powers will not give DWP access to any claimants’ bank accounts, nor any information on how claimants spend their money.”
It also says: “DWP will not share any personal information with banks or other financial institutions and a member of DWP staff will always be involved in any further investigations and decisions made on entitlement, as they are now.”
What information can banks share?
If an account meets one of the DWP’s eligibility indicators, banks can only provide limited information.
This can include:
- account number and sort code
- account holder’s name
- date of birth
- confirmation that the account appears to meet one of the DWP’s eligibility indicators
Banks cannot send spending history or transaction information under these powers and could face penalties if they share information beyond what the legislation allows.
What happens if you’re flagged?
Being flagged does not automatically mean you’ve done anything wrong.
The DWP says every case requiring further enquiries will still be handled by trained staff.
The department has also confirmed that artificial intelligence will not make decisions about benefit entitlement or payments.
Any decision to investigate, suspend or change a claim will continue to be made by a human decision-maker.
The Government says there are safeguards
The DWP says the bank account checks will be introduced gradually using a “test and learn” approach from 2026 before wider rollout.
The Government has also promised independent oversight of the new powers.
According to the legislation, an independent reviewer will monitor whether the Eligibility Verification Measure is being used lawfully and effectively, with reports published and laid before Parliament.
The Bill also requires new Codes of Practice governing how the powers are used, alongside new rights of review and appeal for financial institutions receiving Eligibility Verification Notices.
Why Universal Credit savings are likely to be checked
One example given by the DWP is Universal Credit’s capital rules.
Most people cannot receive Universal Credit if they have more than £16,000 in savings, unless a specific exemption applies.
The department says eligibility indicators may be designed to identify accounts that appear inconsistent with benefit rules, allowing staff to investigate further where necessary.
The DWP estimates that, once fully operational, the new system could help identify between 50,000 and 100,000 incorrect benefit payments every year, while ensuring human investigators remain responsible for every final decision.
Initially, the checks will apply to claimants receiving three specific DWP benefits or pension payments.
The DWP states that the powers are limited in scope and can only be used to obtain information about bank accounts receiving a specified DWP benefit, as well as any linked accounts that meet the department’s eligibility indicators.
Can the DWP see my bank statements?
According to guidance published by the DWP, the department has the power to require banks and other financial institutions to provide information to help verify whether claimants are entitled to benefits and to identify incorrect payments.
Under the new rules, banks and financial institutions must review accounts that receive specified DWP benefit payments and compare them against eligibility indicators set by the department.
These indicators, which are outlined in an Eligibility Verification Notice, are designed to flag accounts where the criteria suggest a payment may need further investigation.
Discussing the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill – in rooting out benefit fraud (AND OVERPAYMENT ERROR), ‘eligibility verification notices’ amount to what @BigBrotherWatch call bank spying powers. I argued that, at the very least, those flagged up have a right… pic.twitter.com/ecrUl3eAsb
— Claire Fox (@Fox_Claire) October 25, 2025
Can the DWP look at my bank transactions and see what I buy?
No, the rules are clear on this. Banks can only share limited information in response to an Eligibility Verification Notice, for example:
- specified details about the account(s) (such as sort code and account number)
- specified details about the account holder(s) (such as their name(s) and date(s) of birth)
- specified details about how the account(s) meets the eligibility indicators.They could receive a penalty for oversharing information, such as transaction information. The DWP also adds: “Any information shared through the Eligibility Verification Measure will not be shared on the presumption or suspicion that anyone is guilty of any offence.”
It gives the example of, for Universal Credit, an individual cannot hold more than £16,000 in savings and remain eligible for Universal Credit, “unless this capital is a result of a specified exception.”
There’s a full list of those exceptions here.
Recommended reading:
What happens if the DWP decides I have too much money in my account?
Where further enquiries or investigations are required, they will continue to be led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Ministers have emphasised that artificial intelligence will not be used to make decisions about benefit entitlement or payments. Instead, any action taken following an investigation will continue to involve human decision-makers.
The eligibility verification measure will be introduced gradually through a “test and learn” approach, giving the department time to refine processes and establish best practice before wider implementation.
Once fully rolled out, the DWP estimates the measure will help identify between 50,000 and 100,000 cases of benefit overpayment each year.
On Wednesday, September 2, it was the Concours judging and private viewings to dominate the agenda for the day.
Twelve Concours classes were held across almost a century of motoring, including The Golden Age of Motoring, 100 Years of Carrrozzeria Touring, La Dolce Vita, 60 Years of the Lamborghini Miura and Passione Ferrari.
Two new classes also made their debut for 2026, Rare Breeds of the Digital Age and Hypercar Heaven, which recognise the growing importance of contemporary performance cars within the international collector market.
Judging will take place across Wednesday and Thursday, with the show field bringing together a 70-strong collection of classics, supercars and hypercars from around the world.
Some of the cars include Aa Maserati 8C 3000, Alfa Romeo Sprint Berlinetta, a one-off Maserati 3500GT Spyder Prototipo by Vignale, a very early Porsche 356 Split Window Coupé, Aston Martin DB3S, Lamborghini Miura P400S, Bizzarrini 5300GT, Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet, Bugatti EB110 Prototype, Aston Martin Valiant Prototype and the extraordinary Bugatti Bolide, one of just 40 produced worldwide.
Helen Pike has decided to step down as Master of Magdalen College School at the end of the 2026/27 academic year, the school in east Oxford announced in March.
MCS is one of the top performing schools in the country, ranking in the top 20 independent secondary schools in The Sunday Times Parent Power Schools Guide 2026.
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The new academic year will start next week, with Ms Pike preparing for one more year in charge before she hands over to her successor, who will take over in September 2027.
The first female Master at MCS, Ms Pike guided the board of governors to one of the most significant decisions in the school’s history, to become fully co-educational from 2027.
While there has been a co-educational sixth form at the school for 15 years, the school last month announced it will become fully co-educational over the coming decade.
Ms Pike said earlier: “I love MCS, and it is a perennial privilege to lead this remarkable school.
“Being Master of MCS is a brilliant job, and I am declaring my intention early in order to give MCS the very best opportunity to find the right Master for September 2027. I shall continue to do all in my power to further the fortunes of this wonderful school until then.
“I look forward to a new phase in my own professional life, one that builds on all that I have enjoyed and achieved in my career during the past 30 years.
“Having encouraged many cohorts of pupils to take sensible risks and to do something creative and different when the time feels right, I am doing just that.”
During Ms Pike’s tenure, MCS has been recognised as a Top 20 Independent School and South East School of the Year by the Sunday Times and won Independent School of the Year for Social Mobility.
Thanking her in his letter to the school community, chair of governors, Bob Price, said earlier this year: “Helen is an outstanding leader and will go with our sincere gratitude and warm thanks for her exceptional headship.
“She will leave the school in excellent shape for her successor.”
Recruitment for a replacement for Ms Pike is now under way.
Last month, Ms Pike congratulated pupils on their “outstanding success” in this year’s A-Level exams, after more than a quarter of pupils (43) achieved three A*s or more and 25 secured all A*s.
In total, 39 pupils from the 2026 cohort are heading to Oxbridge, while 22 have secured places to study medicine.
As part of the school’s expansion plans, MCS is preparing to build a new Science, Library and Partnerships building.
A spokeswoman said the new building will offer an exciting opportunity to reimagine the senior school site as staff look ahead to full co-education.
She added earlier: “With a vision to create a sector-leading science building in the centre of Oxford, the development will enable us to support an ambitious and forward-looking science curriculum, expanding to the emerging and rapidly advancing areas of robotics, AI and Big Data.”
Holding banners which read ‘For f**k’s sake, just stop oil’, the demonstrators took to the road in Parliament Square at noon today (Wednesday, September 2).
This was as Andy Burnham faced his first Prime Minister’s Questions, and many of the protestors glued themselves to the road.
The group demanded that the UK government stop approving all further oil and gas developments, and sign a Fossil Fuel Treaty to stop oil and gas extraction.
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Just Stop Oil say that the police are expected to arrest all those blocking the road, and that one lane has been left free of glued-on action takers to permit access for emergency vehicles.
Andy Burnham is due to make a decision on whether to allow more drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea.
Reverend James Crote, a Baptist Minister and grandfather from Chesterton near Bicester, said: “Today is my grandson’s first birthday. I have to take action for the sake of his future.
The 69-year-old added: “The government has been dilly-dallying about whether to say yes or no to the Rosebank oil field but, if we want a future for our children, there is no choice – it has to say ‘no’.
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“I am here as a Christian Minister because the Church has to speak out and demand that the government stops approving further oil and gas developments now. It’s time for us all to say ‘For God’s sake, Just Stop Oil’.”
Data from the Met Office indicates that 2026 was the hottest summer in UK recorded history, beating 2025, which was the previous hottest summer on record.
2026 was also one of the driest summers on record, delivering record-low food harvests.
Climbing temperatures have triggered wildfires across the country, and national fire chiefs said the wildfire risk facing the UK is “like nothing we have seen before”.
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Taking action, grandmother Victoria Ann Lynch-Staunton from Leamington Spa, said: “What is happening is beyond a tragedy.”
The 71-year-old added: “I beg everyone to join Just Stop Oil or governments will continue to prioritise endless growth and corporate profit over billions of lives – yours and your children.
“Wake up and smell the coffin. It is the responsibility of all of us to act now!”
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said today: “We are all Just Stop Oil.
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“Every single person who fears deadly wildfires, devastating droughts, and spiralling food shortages is Just Stop Oil.
“The first duty of government is to keep the public safe – but by greenlighting oil and gas drilling, they endanger our survival while corporates and billionaires laugh their way to the bank.
“Every one of us feels alone and powerless in the face of this insanity, but we know there is massive political and public support for our demand.
“So we’re inviting everyone to join us at an online call on 3rd October 2026 – because it’s when we work together that we are powerful and win.”
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