Overview

• Factsheets confirm the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will begin implementation in April 2026 with initial pilots to refine new procedures
• The Eligibility Verification Measure will require banks and other organisations such as airlines to flag limited indicator data on potential benefit eligibility breaches without accessing transaction details
• New enforcement authorities include direct recovery of overpayments from bank accounts, search and seizure powers and civil sanctions such as driving bans of up to two years
• The Government has pledged safeguards including codes of practice, penalties for oversharing, staff training, regular inspections and independent reporting to ensure proportional use of powers
• Officials project savings of around £1.5 billion over the next five years and parliamentary scrutiny continues amid debate over privacy and fairness