Overview

• Peers voted 200–194 to give the Public Sector Fraud Authority proactive investigatory and recovery powers, with MPs to consider the change when the bill returns to the Commons.
• Official guidance says banks must provide only five items under Eligibility Verification Notices: sort code, account number, account holder name, date of birth, and whether an eligibility indicator is met.
• Transaction histories are excluded from disclosures, and financial institutions could face penalties for oversharing data.
• The measures are initially aimed at Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and Pension Credit, while the DWP says the State Pension is excluded.
• The bill would allow direct recovery of overpayments from bank accounts and could see courts suspend driving licences for unpaid welfare debts over £1,000, with projected savings reported between £940 million and £1.5 billion over five years.