Department for Work and Pensions

The complainant has requested information on the cost of payments to benefit claimants and pensioners who do not have bank accounts. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) originally relied on section 43(2) to refuse to provide the requested information. During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation, DWP amended its position and confirmed that it did not hold the information falling within the scope of the first request. DWP also introduced section 43(1) to withhold the information falling within the scope of the second request. The Commissioner’s decision is that, on the balance of probabilities, DWP does not hold the information falling within the scope of the first request and that section 43(2) is engaged in relation to the information falling within the scope of the second request and the public interest lies in maintaining this exemption. The Commissioner does however find that DWP breached section 10(1). The Commissioner does not require DWP to take any steps.