Universal Credit

U.K News / US News

UK Benefit Fraud Account Checks: What DWP Bank Checks Mean for Claimants

The Department for Work and Pensions has started asking banks to check the accounts of benefit claimants, after issuing its first formal notice under a new fraud-checking power on 26 October 2026. The move, which covers Universal Credit, Pension Credit and New Style Employment and Support Allowance, has driven a surge in searches for UK benefit fraud account checks as…