DVLA website lets visitors check on neighbours benefits

Last Updated: July 5, 2014By Tags: , , , , ,

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From Benefits and Work:

A new vehicle check service on the DVLA website allows visitors to find out whether their neighbours are receiving the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance (DLA) or either rate of the mobility component of personal independence payment (PIP).  The system is likely to be in breach of data protection laws and will be of enormous concern to many disabled claimants.

Unhappy member
The issue was brought to our attention yesterday by a very unhappy member who emailed us to say:

“My neighbour was able to tell me that I was on the higher rate of disability living allowance.

“She found out that people on the higher rate of disability living allowance and other similar high rate benefits get free road tax.

“The DVLA vehicle check system has been revamped and is now displaying taxation class as DISABLED on every vehicle where the registered taxation class is disabled.

“ It never used to be like this it was just blank .

“Anyone can put your car registration number into the system and do a vehicle check just like my neighbour did and find out you are on benefits and what type as a result of the taxation class DISABLED being on display

“What is the purpose of this system being open to the public to do a vehicle check on any vehicle they want?

The rest of this article is available here.

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21 Comments

  1. jaypot2012 July 5, 2014 at 1:19 pm - Reply

    It’s a disgrace, it’s another way for neighbours and so-called friends to complain about you and say that you are fiddling the system – you get an appt quick smart with the PIP and end up losing everything due to the huge waiting list. Thanks DVLA

    • chris July 5, 2014 at 6:36 pm - Reply

      tell the DVLA to take it down

      • Dave July 10, 2014 at 1:45 pm - Reply

        I complained to my MP and the reply back was that Oliver Morley who is the Chief Executive of the DVLA has said anyone wanting to pursue this can contact him in writing. Address DVLA Longview Road, Morriston, Swansea. SA6 7JL

  2. Katy July 5, 2014 at 1:45 pm - Reply

    chilling this country is becoming more and more totalitarian

    • chris July 5, 2014 at 6:35 pm - Reply

      not really but we must stop this

  3. Thomas M July 5, 2014 at 1:52 pm - Reply

    This seems designed just to create more hatred of the disabled.

  4. gusman July 5, 2014 at 1:58 pm - Reply

    Divide and rule

  5. beastrabban July 5, 2014 at 4:41 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on Beastrabban’s Weblog and commented:
    The release of personal information about benefit claimants by the DVLA doesn’t surprise me. This is, of course, a government that believes in less eligibility, and shaming and humiliating those on benefits whenever possible. And it was a Lib Dem lord, who stated that he believed that all benefits claimants should have their benefit details available for public inspection.

  6. matt July 5, 2014 at 4:42 pm - Reply

    Just done search on my car comes back as License not due. I take it that its this site we are talking about

    https://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/app/enquiry?execution=e1s1

  7. Colin morris July 5, 2014 at 5:22 pm - Reply

    Yes it’s divide and rule by fear Gusman politics of envy it has become a crime now to be disabled it’s evil but the likes of smith encourage it at every opportunity humanity is disappearing it’s becoming a me me regime as long as I don’t get attacked I’m ok sod the rest

    • chris July 5, 2014 at 6:34 pm - Reply

      humanity is disappearing

      no its not but if you do noting them it may well do

  8. matt July 5, 2014 at 5:50 pm - Reply

    I stand corrected just used this link https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/

    and It stated Disabled in Taxation class, also displays when tax runs out and also when mot runs out, This is no body elses business. In fact its dreadful that any member of the public can spy on their neighbours in this way.

  9. chris July 5, 2014 at 6:33 pm - Reply

    EVERYONE ON HERE!
    contact DVLA and tell them not to do this

    here are the links

    https://www.gov.uk/contact-the-dvla

    https://ico.org.uk/Global/contact_us

    also here go to feedback and tell them

    https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/

    it does not help by moaning about “Divide and rule” or if the will cause more hate or if we are totalitarian

    if we do noting them we are just as worse as them

  10. Paul July 5, 2014 at 8:04 pm - Reply

    if i am correct then anyone checking on a vehicles status has to declare they own that vehicle before any information is given ,anyone snooping on their neighbour by using the DVLA site may well be committing perjury ,that apart anyone can view a tax disk anyway

    • david July 6, 2014 at 12:50 pm - Reply

      My recollection is that the previous edition of the DVLA website stated the vrm being checked had to be your property. DVLA charged a fee if you wanted details of another person’s vehicle, e.g. after an accidnet and it was a paper-based system.

      Paul – this is not an offence of Perjury. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perjury

      As nothing now says ‘your own vehicle’ it appears one can check at one’s leisure.

  11. MrChekaMan July 5, 2014 at 8:53 pm - Reply

    I wonder if the DWP will soon start doing the same thing?

  12. Anonymous July 6, 2014 at 5:18 am - Reply

    What happened to data protection and confidentiality? This has to be against the law.

  13. Tony Dean July 7, 2014 at 10:19 am - Reply

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