Brits Narrow the Pool of Benefits Fraudsters to “Everyone”
In an effort to curb £8B in annual misappropriation of benefits, the British government aims to loosen the reins on the confining Data Protection and Digital Information Bill. The government seeks broad powers to inspect the bank accounts of any person receiving a state pension and other benefits, in other words… everybody.
Since all British citizens are automatically entered into the government’s generous public benefits system, everyone lucky enough to reach the age of 66 will have earned the protective coverage of financial scrutiny. Every financial foible of your golden years will be carefully cataloged for future perusal by your Big Brother.
In the refreshingly short interval between conception and its expedient approval by the House of Commons, critics claimed it's a paternalistic overreach that will do more harm than good. To these worrywarts, rest assured that the government only watches because they care — deeply, incessantly, and with an unblinking eye.
In a world where privacy is already a quaint notion, why not bask in the warm glow of government oversight? As Britain stands on the cusp of this new economic era, one thing is clear: the future is bright, highly regulated, and meticulously documented.
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- To curb benefit fraud, which costs the exchequer around £8B (US$10.1B) annually, the UK government may grant itself powers to inspect pensioners' bank accounts.
- Proposed amendments to the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill will let banks share customer data with the state regarding both social security and other state pensions.
- Existing law only allows the government to inspect accounts with suspicious activity, such as changes to owner's financial status or large cash payments.
- The amendments will also introduce verification to ensure digital IDs are just as safe as physical copies, though physical copies are expected to still be allowed.
- The bill has so far passed its third reading in the House of Commons with plans for further scrutiny in the House of Lords.
Sources: The Telegraph, Independent, and Financial Times.
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