DWP DSAR address

[Shelley181146]

I have been trying to locate the correct address to send a Data Subject Access Request to the DWP and I am not having much success.

 

I am after information from all departments from past 40years maybe so not sure how I would go about ensuring that the information covered every benefit etc.

 

Has anyone had success with this and if so, what timeframe did they go back to?

Was the information legible or are they like the banks in so much as provide some but not all?

 

Appreciate any assistance or addresses please.

 

Shelley

[dx100uk]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-request-for-personal-information

[antone]

You can send the form dx100uk posted to pretty much any DWP office - if you're currently in receipt of any benefit or pension then I'd send it to the office that pays it. The DWP does not charge the statutory £10 fee for a SAR.

 

I've never heard of then intentionally withholding data but I'd be surprised if there's data going back 40 years for most benefits. Because of the DPA, the DWP is obliged to stop holding data about you when it no longer has a valid business reason to do so.

[Shelley181146]

Thank you both for your input.

 

"Because of the DPA, the DWP is obliged to stop holding data about you when it no longer has a valid business reason to do so".

I'm not sure how long that is likely to be then because it appears they think someone has been overpaid some 12-15 years ago (maybe longer) and they have only just bought it to their attention

How on earth is anyone expected to defend something like that?

[antone]

If they are claiming that there's been an overpayment then they must have some documentation to support the assertion. Certainly, an alleged overpayment is a valid business reason to keep the paperwork/computer files.

 

Does the person in question believe that the overpayment decision is wrong? If so, he or she should consider an appeal, bearing in mind that there are time limits for such things.

[Shelley181146]

If they are claiming that there's been an overpayment then they must have some documentation to support the assertion. Certainly, an alleged overpayment is a valid business reason to keep the paperwork/computer files. How would they know that there would be an 'overpayment' to hold the paperwork/computer records? Sounds to me like they keep everything 'incase'......associated with their national insurance number.

 

Does the person in question believe that the overpayment decision is wrong? If so, he or she should consider an appeal, bearing in mind that there are time limits for such things.

They have no idea if the DWP are right or wrong after the time which has elapsed, hence they asking how to send a DSAR and whereto.

 

Apparently, paperwork has arrived asking them to clarify if they were working at a named workplace on such and such a date and if so, their benefit would not have been payable the week after. They have given them less than 14 days to respond

 

Sounds to me like a phishing expedition but the stress this is likely to cause is going to be huge. Is it not a case that they should be proving whether or not someone was working, rather than a person proves they weren't? Could it not be someone using their N.I number?