Preserve privacy & prevent harm: Stop Spying on the Private Lives of Disabled Benefit Claimants
Part of the letters to my MP series
I am writing to you to express my concern over the government's proposal to give DWP investigators the right to access and scrutinise the bank accounts of those who claim benefits, including those who have disabilities.
I am one of over 25,000 Organise members who have signed a petition to put an end to this policy. You can see the petition here: https://the.organise.network/campaigns/network-prevent-the-dwp-scrutinising-disabled-people-s-bank-accounts-83484c04f5c4a649
The proposed policy is disproportionate and unnecessarily overreaching. The Government says there will be 'safeguarding measures' but no details about what these are, and it's a slippery slope - once these powers are granted, there's no going back.
How people spend their money is a private matter that shouldn’t need justifying to anyone. The Government mustn’t move forward with this plan to protect all benefit claimants' dignity and privacy.
Now the Bill is entering the Report stage, please will you make sure that these dangerous plans are removed from the Bill, and safeguards put in place, to protect sick and disabled people from this scrutiny?
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind regards,
LJ
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