DWP are sending me claimants NI numbers – ICO complaint

DWP are sending me claimants NI numbers – ICO complaint

11:31 AM, 28th February 2019, About 5 years ago 14

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Dear Information Commissioner,

DWP are disclosing multiple tenants’ National insurance numbers to me.

I am also copying in some of the Universal Credit UC staff that I have been sending the below to, some quite high up people actually, so you can see the UC Director Generals know about this, but have done nothing. The local job centre staff are innocent in this.

Please find enclosed screenshots of the DWP Universal Credit UC sending me National Insurance numbers for my tenants.
Should they be doing this?

All I want, as Housing Benefit have been doing for 20 years, is for UC to put the tenants rent in my bank with a reference that I can then use to identify which particular tenant it is for.

I do now know all my tenants National Insurance number, they are releasing this to me without the permission of the tenant.

I can get some tenants to back up that they are fuming with this too if you like.

My complaint is now with ICE who are taking 18 months to look at complaints. As DWP  UC just don’t take any of this seriously, I’ve not had one phone call from them about it, but the ICO I am told are interested in this. If you going after them for this and it solves my Ref number requests, then that is good for me.

Please take a look and ask me for anything as I have loads more, just not got time to send it all to you at moment.

I have sent and asked DWP many times and alerted them that they are using tenants Ref Number in payments and it’s like 2 year old kids replying.

If you fine them £1 million pound plus, because you can guess they doing it to other Landlords (which I will get for you too if you wish to pursue), then UC WAKE UP AND COMMUNICATE WITH US.

Yours sincerely

Mick


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Comments

Clint

13:25 PM, 1st March 2019, About 5 years ago

I have dealt with case managers where I really thought I was getting somewhere as they appeared to be concerned and appeared to want to help but that was all part of the training at “Universal Credit School”. Give the customer false hope and then have a good laugh about it and add insult to injury by keeping silent and ending all further communication.
I think anyone wanting a job with UC would only qualify if they got the training at “Universal Credit School" and past with distinction. Anyone with a lower grade would not be employed. That is why they are continually recruiting.
I cannot believe I have spent so much time on these comments with all the work I have but UC must be exposed to those that may not have yet had this experience which if one can avoid must at all costs do so. I would not say don't take benefit tenants but weigh up all the odds when considering. Benefit tenants that come to me say that they have tried everywhere but no one is interested.....many of wish have been looking for over a year. I wonder why!

Mick Roberts

14:43 PM, 1st March 2019, About 5 years ago

Yes the managers seem good on 1st phone call, I will ring u back etc.
U have hope & then weeks later, nothing happens.

Yes same here, we need to keep it out in the open till the bigwigs finally wake up.

Our only hope is they treating the councils & Housing associations the same & they are shouting too.
They are even paying for the services of Bill Irvine at https://universalcreditadvice.com/ & also
Sherrelle at https://www.caridonlandlordsolutions.co.uk/ who both are great for us Private Landlords. But should Councils be in that much of a mess not being able to collect THEIR OWN RENT, that they then have to pay more taxpayers money on collecting what could be so easily paid to them in the first place.

Yes I ain't can't take UC any more, it's a 40 hour job maybe more just to get your first rent in, & that's after 2 months arrears, which turns into 4 5 months before u finally receive anything.

Nassir

22:37 PM, 4th March 2019, About 5 years ago

Mick thanks for highlighting and fighting our cause with UC.
I agree with all your points.
You couldn't make up the things UC do.
I am getting some post to my address with the tenants names and not mine for UC payments.
I spoke to a manager in complaints Dept about receiving an email confirming the rent was getting paid directly to me only for the tenant to get it and you guessed it... she spent it!
I spoke to RLA who will refer me to Bill to see if I can get any compensation.
Just doesn't seem to get any better at all!

Mick Roberts

2:35 AM, 5th March 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Nassir at 04/03/2019 - 22:37
Yes we all need to complain and hope at some point in future, someone will act cause DWP and Govt think they getting at us Landlords, but it's the tenants that's losing out in the end as no one wants to accept UC any more.

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