Dole snoops now in schools
Benefit fraud team accesses your children’s private files to establish your personal and home circumstances.
by Roisin McManus
Benefit fraud investigators can gather information from children’s school records, the Andersonstown News has learned.
Benefit Investigation Services, part of the Social Security Agency (SSA), seek information from a number of sources – schools now included – in investigations against benefit fraud.
The SSA say where there is a suspicion of fraud, educational facilities, including schools, are legally required to give information under the Social Security Fraud Act (Northern Ireland) 2001.
The SSA claimed that cases where they request information from schools are rare.
Local Sinn Féin MLA Fra McCann has slammed it as a “Big Brother” tactic.
A local school principal said it was news to him and that if he was asked for the information, those asking the questions would be “shown the gates”.
“This is a terrible infringement of people’s rights and this is the long arm of the state going into very private and personal details,” said Councillor McCann.
“This is obviously being done to find out whether parents are living together and who collects a child from school to catch people who are claiming benefits for one-parent families.
“This is Big Brother-style intimidation and this practice should stop immediately.
“I will be writing to the DSD Minister David Hanson on this matter,” he added.
A local school principal, who did not wish to be named, said he was shocked by the news.
“This practice is disgusting and despicable. We are school teachers and not policemen, we are here to look after children and families. If we were asked for this type of information we would show them the gates,” he added.
A spokesperson from the Social Security Agency said, “When investigating cases of benefit fraud, Benefit Investigation Services pursue information from a wide range of sources to help determine whether benefit is being paid correctly.
“In appropriate cases this may include seeking information from schools.
“Cases where it is deemed necessary to approach a school are rare.
Requests for information are made in writing through a ‘subject of enquiry letter’. At no time are investigators sent into schools to search pupil records.
“Investigators are entitled to ask for any information which may help them either to corroborate or disprove any allegation of benefit fraud,” added the spokesperson.
Journalist:: Roisin McManus
