Why DWP snooping on benefit claimants' bank accounts will only whip up hatred of disabled people 

The Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) were drawing up plans that would allow them to check the bank accounts of those on out-of-work benefits, according to a news leak. Why? I hear you ask, well it’s part of the government’s “war on workshy benefits claimants”, which is aiming to force around 2.5m sick and disabled people into work. This is despite the fact they’ve been declared unfit for work. 

Under a new law, which The Telegraph reports is expected to be announced in the chancellor’s autumn statement next week, benefit claimants could have their bank accounts checked every month to make sure they’re not “lying” about savings. Apparently, it could save the government £500 million in the first five years.

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Currently, if the DWP suspects someone of fraud they have to individually request their details from their bank. Under the new plans, banks will be forced to run monthly or even weekly checks to see if any “red flags” are picked up. This would include having more than £16,000 in savings (which is the cap for those on benefits) or if the account regularly transfers money overseas.

I don’t know about you but that sounds more like Tory party members and their rich mates than people who are struggling to pay their bills. 

Now of course this sounds dire and would put many disabled people in danger, but in my opinion, it’s not actually going to happen. The sheer amount it would cost in both resources and manpower is completely unviable. But that’s not the point, it’s about furthering the “cracking down on fraudsters” vile agenda. 

For disabled people this will lead to more fear and mean we are less likely to speak up about how inhumane this is. More importantly to the Tories though, it will create further division between hardworking taxpayers and “work-shy benefit shirkers” and allow the public to further be awful about disabled and unemployed people. 

According to the Trussel Trust 69% of people referred to their food banks network are disabled. This is three times the rate of non-disabled people. Meanwhile, 62% of disabled people referred to Trussell Trust food banks are also not receiving any disability benefits.

I regularly see friends who have had to crowdfund in order to get the equipment they vitally need such as power wheelchairs then panic about how they’re going to receive the money – because it could take their savings over 16k. I know people who withdraw all of their benefits as soon as they get it, because it’s easier to budget if the cash is in front of you.

These aren’t people who are fiddling the system, they’re people who are struggling to survive under a system that punishes them for not contributing enough to society and judges whether they deserve to live. 

“Every pound stolen by fraudsters could be spent on our public services or on those most in need.” a source told The Telegraph. OK, cool, what about the £42bn a year in unpaid tax, what are we doing to crack down on that? 

“Mel [Stride, work and pensions minister] sees it as profoundly wrong that benefit cheats aren’t playing by the rules and is determined to bring fairness for the taxpayer,” the source continued, while casually forgetting that the Big Issue revealed the DWP had spent millions trying to ensure people didn’t get benefits in the first place.

The government is working hard to turn the public against disabled people who can’t work, be it through branding us all workshy scroungers or by the ridiculous minster for disabled people Tom Pursglove running around on dawn benefits raids in his stab vest. The message is clear, don’t pay attention to our wrongdoings, look at those thieving disabled people – but we can’t allow this to fester.

What this and all other DWP policies hinge on is the Tories staying in power – and that’s why we need to ensure that they’re voted out in the next election. Before even more disabled people die under this cruel government. 

Rachel Charlton-Dailey is an award-winning disability rights journalist, editor author, speaker and activist.

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