Social Welfare and Bank account

roc85

Hi,

I recently lost my part time job. Today I went into social welfare and they gave me forms to fill out and told me to send in a bank statement for the previous 3 months. I’m beings means tested.

Then I received a call from them saying that the bank statement wasn’t important but I needed another form that has my bank a/c, iban etc...I’m just wondering what do they need such confidential info for? Can they look into your bank account?

I’ve nothing to hide, I have around 4-5,000 which I would have disclosed regardless in the printed statement but I find it a huge invasion of privacy that they can go in and look at my account.

Rubberchikken

if ur being means tested they need to see whats in your acc.
i dont know what the amount is but youre allowed a certain amount in savings so there should be no bother with the savings you have.
its pretty standard to submit the info. also if and when they allow the sw payment they'll need the bic and iban numbers to make payments.

Huawei Gallagher

Have another read of the form they want, if they are looking for your IBAN or BIC etc. they may just be looking for a method of paying you directly into your account (depends on what type of payment you are getting). You may not need to fill that section in if you will be collecting it at the post office. Call in (in person) and ask them, simplest answer.

roc85

Rubberchikken wrote: »

if ur being means tested they need to see whats in your acc.
i dont know what the amount is but youre allowed a certain amount in savings so there should be no bother with the savings you have.
its pretty standard to submit the info. also if and when they allow the sw payment they'll need the bic and iban numbers to make payments.

Thanks for the response.

Yea I understand that they need to know you don’t have big sums of money stashed away but with access to my account they can see everything you’ve spent your money on in the past which seems a massive invasion of privacy.

Also I thought you pick payment up at the post office ?

roc85

Charles Cabbage wrote: »

Have another read of the form they want, if they are looking for your IBAN or BIC etc. they may just be looking for a method of paying you directly into your account (depends on what type of payment you are getting). You may not need to fill that section in if you will be collecting it at the post office. Call in (in person) and ask them, simplest answer.

I did, I went in and collected the form, and asked do I need to bring in a statement and they said no, Just fill in my bank details. Pretty strange especially since I’m being means tested. I wasn’t aware anyone was allowed to look into your bank account and see your personal information.

Giving your Bank Account No. & IBAN does not have give anyone access to the details of your account balance, transactions etc., - all it can be used for is paying money into your account.

You can request to be paid through the PO if that is what you want.

Only the D of SW can tell you why, when you were told you were being means tested, you have now been told that you don't need to supply bank statements etc. (Any chance you have actually qualified for the non means tested Jobseekers Benefit?) Only way for you to be means tested is through supplying your financial statements. No means are assessed against the first €20,000 you may have and above that there is a sliding scale of deductions. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/means_test_for_social_welfare_payments/means_test_for_jobseekers_allowance.html

roc85

Balagan1 wrote: »

Giving your Bank Account No. & IBAN does not have give anyone access to the details of your account balance, transactions etc., - all it can be used for is paying money into your account.

You can request to be paid through the PO if that is what you want.

Only the D of SW can tell you why, when you were told you were being means tested, you have now been told that you don't need to supply bank statements etc. (Any chance you have actually qualified for the non means tested Jobseekers Benefit?) Only way for you to be means tested is through supplying your financial statements. No means are assessed against the first €20,000 you may have and above that there is a sliding scale of deductions.

Thank you. I have no problem with them knowing what's in my account but would be uncomfortable with them seeing all my transactions etc as I know 3 people working in my local social welfare office.

wifey28

roc85 wrote: »

Thank you. I have no problem with them knowing what's in my account but would be uncomfortable with them seeing all my transactions etc as I know 3 people working in my local social welfare office.

Unfortunately they have to, you cant omit stuff as theyll get suspicious. Its part and parcel, if they ask for it you have to supply it

roc85

wifey28 wrote: »

Unfortunately they have to, you cant omit stuff as theyll get suspicious. Its part and parcel, if they ask for it you have to supply it

I mean having access to my account and being able to see every transaction ever.

Anything from the past 6 months is fine, but I wouldn't like people I know having complete access to my entire financial history

kippy

roc85 wrote: »

I mean having access to my account and being able to see every transaction ever.

Anything from the past 6 months is fine, but I wouldn't like people I know having complete access to my entire financial history

No one is asking for complete access to every transaction you have ever made. Have you asked them why they need your BIC and IBAN?
Neither piece of data would suggest they are going to look at your full bank account. They are most likely looking for it in the event that you wish to be paid directly into your account which is an option now. You can sign online.
Why are you jumping to conclusions here?

roc85

kippy wrote: »

No one is asking for complete access to every transaction you have ever made. Have you asked them why they need your BIC and IBAN?
Neither piece of data would suggest they are going to look at your full bank account. They are most likely looking for it in the event that you wish to be paid directly into your account which is an option now. You can sign online.
Why are you jumping to conclusions here?

Because they said I would be means tested and this is the only form they gave me that could possible be anything to do with being means tested.

kippy

roc85 wrote: »

Because they said I would be means tested and this is the only form they gave me that could possible be anything to do with being means tested.

What else is written on the form?
Have you asked them?

roc85

kippy wrote: »

What else is written on the form?
Have you asked them?

The form asks for any bank accounts I have and their details and asks for that accounts balance.

I asked them did they also need a bank statement and they said no.

Graces7

OP ; when I was on Rent Allowance I had to give 3 months bank statements every time I moved house. Public money so they take care.

They need to see what you have coming in. They are not going to go through your statements checking every transaction. Just incomings and eg rent payments.

Privacy is to some extent compromised maybe.

roc85

Graces7 wrote: »

OP ; when I was on Rent Allowance I had to give 3 months bank statements every time I moved house. Public money so they take care.

They need to see what you have coming in. They are not going to go through your statements checking every transaction. Just incomings and eg rent payments.

Privacy is to some extent compromised maybe.

So they do have access to my bank account?

I didn’t think an iban and account name would give people access to accounts.

roc85

roc85 wrote: »

So they do have access to my bank account?

I didn’t think an iban and account name would give people access to accounts.

It doesn't.

roc85

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It doesn't.

So is it because they’re a government institution that they have this access ?

roc85

roc85 wrote: »

So is it because they’re a government institution that they have this access ?

Nobody, government institution or not, can access anyone’s bank account with IBAN and BIC. You need a password and PIN to do this.
All anyone can do with IBAN and BIC is pay money into your account !

Nomis21

It makes no sense to me that they say you are being means tested but they don't want to see your bank statements.

Seems to me that you are going to be paid into a Bank account so they need your Bic and Iban an to do this. The only time jobseekers allowance is paid into a Bank account is if you are over 62 years old. Are you over 62?

kippy

Nomis21 wrote: »

It makes no sense to me that they say you are being means tested but they don't want to see your bank statements.

Seems to me that you are going to be paid into a Bank account so they need your Bic and Iban an to do this. The only time jobseekers allowance is paid into a Bank account is if you are over 62 years old. Are you over 62?

Not anymore, as far as I am aware. There are numerous payments that are paid by EFT.

Atlantic Dawn

Whether you tell them or not they will know from DIRT returns pretty much to the cent how much you have in your bank account.

noodler

roc85 wrote: »

So is it because they’re a government institution that they have this access ?

What are you not understanding here OP?

They can see the transactions on any bank statement you provide them, with just the bank account number all they can do is put money in.

crossmolinalad

kippy wrote: »

Not anymore, as far as I am aware. There are numerous payments that are paid by EFT.

Yep
I was 56 and in that period I got JSA into my bank account

The J Stands for Jay

roc85 wrote: »

So they do have access to my bank account?

I didn’t think an iban and account name would give people access to accounts.

They do not have access to your transactions. IBANs are not private information, you could post your IBAN on here without any privacy worries.

The J Stands for Jay

roc85 wrote: »

So is it because they’re a government institution that they have this access ?

They can't look at your bank account.

Graces7

roc85 wrote: »

Graces 7 said,,OP ; when I was on Rent Allowance I had to give 3 months bank statements every time I moved house. Public money so they take care.

They need to see what you have coming in. They are not going to go through your statements checking every transaction. Just incomings and eg rent payments.

Privacy is to some extent compromised maybe."

So they do have access to my bank account?

I didn’t think an iban and account name would give people access to accounts.

No. You are not listening. Deep breath? OK? OK!

If they had access to your account, they would not be asking info. OK? They need to check eg what income you have and as some folk cheat, seeing your statements is how they do that.

They then need the iban and a/c name to pay into your a/c. They cannot access any info. Period. That is protected.

Does that help? Hope so.