Overview

• The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill would allow the DWP and the Public Sector Fraud Authority to compel limited bank account data under an Eligibility Verification Measure and to issue Direct Deduction Orders to recover debts.
• Baroness Maeve Sherlock told the House of Lords that banks will be prohibited from informing targeted customers for up to three months after an information notice, with account holders notified once a pre-deduction notice is issued.
• Procedures outlined include at least 28 days’ notice before any deduction, assessments of ability to pay, civil penalties for attempts to frustrate orders, and potential driving licence suspension for persistent non-payment over £1,000.
• Officials say EVN requests will not include transaction-level data and that human decision-makers will handle entitlement decisions, with projected savings of roughly £1.5 billion over five years and an estimated 5,000–20,000 Direct Deduction Orders each year.
• Charities including Big Brother Watch, Age UK, Citizens Advice and Disability Rights UK warn the measures risk population-wide surveillance and could disproportionately affect disabled, older and low-income people.