How DWP checks benefit eligibility using the Eligibility Verification Measure
Banks and other financial institutions must share limited information with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when they receive an Eligibility Verification Notice. This helps identify incorrect benefit payments, and check benefit entitlement.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
About the Eligibility Verification Measure
The Eligibility Verification Measure (EVM) requires banks and other financial institutions to provide information when requested by DWP to identify incorrect benefit payments.
The measure can apply if you claim:
DWP will share certain information with banks and other financial institutions, known as ‘eligibility indicators’. These indicators are based on benefit eligibility rules and help institutions identify accounts that may need to be checked by DWP. This helps ensure people receive the benefits they are entitled to.
Financial institutions will check the information they hold on accounts receiving certain DWP benefit payments. They will tell DWP when a personal account into which a relevant benefit is paid meets an eligibility indicator. This includes linked accounts. The account may belong to either a claimant or a non-claimant.
What information can be shared
Where an eligibility indicator is met, financial institutions will only share limited information with DWP to help identify incorrect benefit payments, and check benefit entitlement.
They may share:
- the names of all account holders
- details of any accounts you hold, including linked accounts and joint accounts
- account numbers
- sort codes, if the accounts have these
- information about how much money is in the relevant accounts
- the date of transactions that took place in another country
DWP cannot log into your online banking or see your account in real time.
Report changes to your circumstances
You must keep your information up to date so that you get the correct amount of benefit. Any delay may mean you receive too much money and may have to make a repayment.
Report a change of circumstances to DWP as soon as possible if your circumstances change.
A change of circumstances can include:
- changes to your money, savings or investments
- changes to your income
- moving to a new address
- people moving into or out of the place you live (for example, your partner, a child or lodger)
- receiving one-off payments such as gifts, refunds or compensation
- leaving England, Scotland and Wales for any period (for example, going on holiday)
If you are not sure whether a change affects your benefit, check the:
- eligibility rules for Universal Credit
- eligibility rules for Pension Credit
- eligibility rules for New Style ESA
If you give wrong or incomplete information, or do not report a change in your circumstances, you may:
- need to pay back any money you are overpaid if you are asked to
- be prosecuted
- need to pay a fine
If DWP needs to check your eligibility
If information shared by your bank suggests you may be getting an incorrect benefit payment, DWP will review your claim.
The review might find that:
- you’re not eligible for the benefit you’re claiming
- the amount you’re receiving is incorrect
DWP may ask you to answer questions about your eligibility or ask you to provide further information to support your benefit claim.
DWP will contact you through your online journal if you have an online account set up. If you do not have an online account, DWP may contact you by phone, letter or text message.
You should respond as soon as possible to avoid your benefit payments being delayed or stopped.
DWP may ask you for further information, or decide if further enquiries are needed. Any decision about your benefit entitlement or payments will always be made by DWP staff.
If you disagree with a decision
If you disagree with a decision about your benefits, you can ask for the decision to be looked at again. This is called ‘mandatory reconsideration’.
What financial institutions cannot share through EVM
Banks and other financial institutions cannot share:
- full statements or transactions
- how you spend your money
- sensitive personal information about your background, such as political opinions or religious beliefs
- specific transaction locations
Banks and other financial institutions can be fined if they do share this information.
How DWP collects and uses your information
There are strict limits on what data can be shared and used, such as:
- DWP will only use the data to help check benefit entitlement, help identify incorrect payments and support any enquiries into those payments, if needed
- DWP cannot ask for information that breaks data protection laws
- where information is shared with DWP that is not directly relevant to a benefit claimant, it will be destroyed in line with DWP’s Information Management Policy
- DWP will not share your personal information with banks or other financial institutions
You have the right to request any information that DWP holds about you, find out how to request your personal information from DWP.
Independent checks and oversight
The following checks, standards and policies are in place to protect you and your information:
Independent reviewer
An independent reviewer will check that DWP, banks and other financial institutions have followed the law, amongst other things. Their reports will be presented to Parliament.
DWP’s personal information charter
DWP’s personal information charter (or privacy policy) explains:
- how it collects and uses your information
- the standards you can expect when it asks for, or holds, your personal information
- how long the DWP keeps your information
- the other rights you have under data protection law
Code of Practice on Eligibility Verification Notices
The code of practice sets out how DWP can use its powers under the Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 to check that benefits are paid correctly.
It explains:
- how the measure will work in practice
- what safeguards must be in place
- how personal data must be protected
- what the independent reviewer will do
- how to raise a complaint as a ‘data subject’
Support
Tell us if you need extra support to manage your claim. This could include if you are experiencing domestic abuse or are at risk of harm.
If you need support, contact the office which pays your benefit:
Universal Credit
You can contact Universal Credit:
- through your online account
- by calling the Universal Credit helpline
Universal Credit helpline
Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 328 5644
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges
Pension Credit
You can contact the Pension Credit helpline:
Pension Service helpline
Telephone: 0800 731 0469
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (except public holidays)
Find out about call charges
New Style ESA
You can contact Jobcentre Plus:
Jobcentre Plus
Telephone: 0800 169 0310
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0310
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Welsh language: 0800 169 0207
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
Find out about call charges