{"id":195636,"date":"2023-11-06T20:49:13","date_gmt":"2023-11-06T20:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tokenstalk.info\/?p=195636"},"modified":"2023-11-06T20:49:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T20:49:13","slug":"lying-benefits-cheats-will-face-crackdown-to-catch-them-red-handed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tokenstalk.info\/politics\/lying-benefits-cheats-will-face-crackdown-to-catch-them-red-handed\/","title":{"rendered":"Lying benefits cheats will face crackdown to catch them red-handed"},"content":{"rendered":"

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People claiming benefits face monthly bank account checks to make sure they are not lying about their savings, it has emerged.<\/p>\n

Banks will be ordered to run monthly, or even weekly data checks to spot fraud risks.<\/p>\n

The Government fears the current system is too ad hoc, with officials having to go to banks with suspicions before checks can be made.<\/p>\n

But this new approach, set to be announced in the King\u2019s Speech, will put the onus on the banks to root out those cheating the system.<\/p>\n

They will then be obliged to alert banks and building societies to red flags.<\/p>\n

READ MORE <\/strong> As fuel bills rise pensioners can claim up to \u00a33,000 in winter state benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n

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People are barred from claiming benefits if they have savings of more than \u00a316,000.<\/p>\n

The Department for Work and Pensions estimates that \u00a3900m a year is being wrongly claimed by people who have more than this amount.<\/p>\n

But officials have predicted the changes could save \u00a3500m over the next five years.<\/p>\n

Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has made \u201crooting out fraud\u201d in the benefits system one of his priorities since he took up the role last autumn.<\/p>\n

A government source said: \u201cEvery pound stolen by fraudsters could be spent on our public services or on those most in need.<\/p>\n

“Mel sees it as profoundly wrong that benefit cheats aren\u2019t playing by the rules and is determined to bring fairness for the taxpayer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ministers are working on tightening criteria of work capability assessments and for a different approach to issuing sick notes, with people being signed off work ill also markedly up since Covid.<\/p>\n

This autumn, the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits hit 5.4 million. It was pushed up during the pandemic and nationwide lockdowns but is yet to markedly drop down since restrictions have eased<\/p>\n