In January 2022 Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) reported that the following issue has been reported several times through their Survivors Welfare Advice Project (SWAP).
The issue is where a domestic abuse survivor is having the payments of a perpetrator’s benefit being made into their bank account against their will. This is seemingly being used as a tool to exert control, often long after the relationship had ended, with the perpetrator then demanding the money and perpetuating abuse. Survivors have been unable to get these payments stopped, as banks cannot stop incoming payments, and the DWP cite data protection rules given the benefit claim in question is the perpetrator’s.
CPAG has been liaising with the DWP about the problem and they have now offered to resolve any such cases they report. Therefore, if you have a client who is affected by this issue, please get in touch with SWAP (swap@cpag.org.uk) and CPAG will provide the relevant assistance.