DWP gearing up to enter bank accounts and 'withdraw' benefit claimants' cash A group of Labour Party MPs rebelled to support an amendment designed to curb the plans. But a group of Labour Party MPs rebelled to support an amendment designed to curb the plans. The Department for Work and Pensions is gearing up to enter bank accounts and WITHDRAW benefits claimants' cash under new fraud crackdown powers. But a group of Labour Party MPs rebelled to support an amendment designed to curb the plans. Liberal Democrats work and pensions spokesman Steve Darling detailed several “major concerns” from his party, including “Orwellian levels of mass surveillance of those who have means tested benefits”. ‌ John Milne, the Liberal Democrat MP for Horsham, warned it would be “the innocent and the accidental claimants who fall into the trap”. ‌ READ MORE 39 counties in England at risk of 'power cuts' in 29C UK heatwave He said: “The implicit assumption is that we should trust in the DWP as a completely error-free organisation across the entirety of its massive operation, but they do make mistakes - they make mistakes all the time, and even when they know they’ve made a mistake, and they’ve been told so, they’re very capable of making the same mistake again.” Liz Kendall told MPs: “Delivering our Plan for Change means ensuring every single pound of taxpayers’ money is wisely spent and goes to those in genuine need. That is what this legislation will help deliver, with the biggest ever crackdown on fraud against the public purse.” Article continues below Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan said: “The Bill rightly seeks to tackle organised crime and online fraud, but also worryingly ushers in dangerous new powers compelling banks to trawl through financial information.” He added: “It is the very poorest in our society which are going to be affected most by this legislation. So banks will be able to trawl for financial information even where there is no suspicion of wrongdoing. That’s the key point in this debate.” DWP Minister Andrew Western said: “We do require this power because it will enable better data sharing between the private and public sector to help check claimants are meeting the criteria for their benefits and to detect incorrect payments at an earlier stage before any suspicion of wrongdoing has arisen. Article continues below “It is not a power to be used to respond to suspected fraud. Information will not be shared with the DWP under the assumption that a claimant is guilty of any wrongdoing. The DWP must look into why the account has been flagged by the bank and ascertain whether an incorrect payment has been made.” Conservative Party MP Helen Whately said: “Why should we tolerate people using social media platforms to help others commit fraud, helping people cheat the tests which are there so support goes to those who need it? “Why should someone who has committed fraud be able to keep their high-end television or luxury car just because they’ve spent their ill-gotten gains before the department gets to them? We’re clear that both of those things should be tackled but sadly Labour has shown themselves to be on the side of the fraudsters instead.”