The HMRC and DWP can disclose information about their customers
to one another, to counter fraudulent or non-compliant behaviour
and to improve their service to customers. This information can
relate not only to an individual customer but also to others whose
circumstances may be relevant to the customer, such as the partner
of a tax credit claimant.
Some of the exchanges for NTC will take place automatically
through the department's IT systems, for example, the DWP will
automatically notify HMRC of claimants’ entitlement to Income
Support / Jobseeker’s Allowance / Employment and Support
Allowance/ Minimum Income Guarantee (IS/JSA/MIG). And Jobcentre
Plus (JC+) staff will have view access to NTC data.
This data includes personal details, award information,
breakdown of payments and entitlements, childcare and provider
details, claim status, and bank and employment details. But
information is also exchanged in specific cases or groups of case,
particularly where one department is investigating a person or
persons and considers that information from the other department
might be useful.
Case-specific liaison with the DWP takes place through the
Liaison Officer in each CCRO. The Liaison Officer is responsible
for managing the arrangements for the exchange of information
between the two departments, and is the focal point of those
arrangements. The DWP should direct requests for information to the
appropriate Liaison Officer, who will pass them on to the
appropriate authorised person to respond.
