Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to help people with CIFAS markers to access banking facilities to enable them to receive (a) wages and (b) welfare payments.

CIFAS, the UK’s fraud prevention service, plays a vital role in protecting individuals and the financial system from fraud and financial crime. Its work supports the Government’s broader efforts to tackle fraud and maintain trust in the financial system.

The Government also recognises the importance of ensuring that individuals can access banking services to receive wages and welfare payments. Where individuals face barriers when accessing banking services, alternative options may be available. The nine largest personal current account providers in the UK are legally required to offer basic bank accounts to customers who do not have a bank account or are not eligible for a standard current account. These accounts are fee-free and provide essential banking services, though they do not include overdrafts or cheque books. Beyond the high street banks, other options for people to make and receive payments may include payment and electronic money institutions.

If someone with a CIFAS marker wishes to further understand the information that CIFAS holds against them, they may wish to make a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) to CIFAS

Furthermore, if an individual believes that a CIFAS marker has been incorrectly assigned, they should first raise it with the organisation that recorded it to the CIFAS database for them to review. If the organisation does not remove the marker then the individual can reach out directly to CIFAS following the process outlined in its complaints procedure.