DWP to get power to ban benefits cheats from driving under new law

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is getting caller powers to tackle benefits cheats successful what has been dubbed the biggest fraud crackdown successful a generation

Benefit fraudsters could look driving bans if they consistently neglect to repay wealth owed to the taxpayer, arsenic portion of a caller Government inaugural to tackle payment fraud. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) volition besides person the powerfulness to reclaim funds straight from the slope accounts of those recovered blameworthy of fraud, successful what is being hailed arsenic the astir important crackdown connected fraud successful caller times.

The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill, acceptable to beryllium introduced successful Parliament connected Wednesday, aims to prevention taxpayers an estimated £1.5 cardinal implicit the adjacent 5 years, according to DWP projections. Once enacted, the instrumentality could spot payment cheats disqualified from driving for up to 2 years if they garbage to repay their debts.

Courts could suspend the driving licences of those owing much than £1,000 successful payment debts who person ignored repeated requests for repayment, pursuing applications by the DWP. The section volition besides person the authorization to petition slope statements from individuals believed to person capable funds to repay payment debts but are refusing to bash so.

However, the DWP has assured that it volition not person nonstop entree to people's slope accounts.

"We are turning disconnected the pat to criminals who cheat the strategy and bargain law-abiding taxpayers' money," declared Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall. She further stated: "This means greater consequences for fraudsters who cheat and evade the system, including arsenic a past edifice successful the astir superior cases removing their driving licence. Backed up by caller and important safeguards including reporting mechanisms and autarkic oversight to guarantee the powers are utilized proportionately and safely.", reports Wales Online.

"People request to person assurance the Government is opening each disposable doors to tackle fraud and destruct waste, arsenic we proceed the astir ambitious programme for authorities successful a procreation – with a laser-like absorption connected outcomes which volition marque the biggest quality to their lives arsenic portion of our Plan for Change."

In an effort to reassure astir the Bill's implications, ministers are acceptable to present codes of signifier for those wielding the caller powers, alongside caller oversight and reporting mechanisms to support tabs connected however the powers are exercised.

The Bill besides aims to bolster the Public Sector Fraud Authority with enhanced capabilities to code fraud from the Covid era. Helen Whately, the shadiness enactment and pensions secretary, expressed enactment for the measures, describing them arsenic a "continuation" of the Conservative party's efforts portion successful office.

However, she criticized Labour person Keir Starmer, saying: "But having knowingly appointed a convicted fraudster to his cabinet, Keir Starmer cannot beryllium trusted to get pugnacious connected fraud."

"Labour indispensable bash much to tackle the spiralling payment budget, and explicate wherefore they are yet to lucifer our £12 cardinal successful savings – raising the imaginable that Rachel Reeves volition beryllium backmost again aboriginal this twelvemonth with different taxation raid connected moving people."