The idiots have lost our details!

[Allen_Z]

Curious, the US government would need a WARRANT to get my bank account info, in theory anyway. Why does your government have that info on "all families in the UK with a child under 16" ?

[eno]

Curious, the US government would need a WARRANT to get my bank account info, in theory anyway. Why does your government have that info on "all families in the UK with a child under 16" ?

The government has this info because Child benefit is paid directly into a bank or post office account.

Child benefit is paid for each child under the age of 16 and in the past you had a book which you took into the post office and received the cash over the counter. This was deemed to be far too insecure and open to fraud so everyone was forced to have it paid into bank or post office accounts.

Can you see the irony in this?

[expat]

Don't ex-pats get UK pension rights, along with benefit rights Matt?

They can, but I transfered my pension contribution to ensure I get a full pension here in Germany...........worth considerately more than the pocket money UK pensioners get from Her Majesties Government

Matt

[H]

Reminds me of when that data of thousands of former US Navy sailors went missing about a year ago. My dad was pissed.

It wasn't just the Navy -- I received notice from the VA, myself.

8-)

[Allen_Z]

*** because Child benefit is paid ***

why

[Craig.]

*** because Child benefit is paid ***

why

Because the cost of raising children is shockingly high and the minimum wage is shockingly low. Therefore the government helps out those families who do not earn enough to be counted as the "poverty line" or something simmilar.

[Allen_Z]

*** the personal details of all families in the UK with a child under 16 have gone missing***

***the cost of raising children is shockingly high and the minimum wage is shockingly low***

Then is ALL FAMILIES and exageration...?

[Wii]

Well this isn't very good now is it?

[eno]

*** the personal details of all families in the UK with a child under 16 have gone missing***

***the cost of raising children is shockingly high and the minimum wage is shockingly low***

Then is ALL FAMILIES and exageration...?

ALL families with children under the age of 16 are entitled to child benefit for each child under 16..... It's one of the few benefits that isn't means tested.

Therefore the records of 25 million people rich or poor are out there for the taking by anyone.... and rather valuable they could be.

[Hagar]

ALL families with children under the age of 16 are entitled to child benefit for each child under 16..... It's one of the few benefits that isn't means tested.

Indeed. This has nothing to do with earnings. Look on it as a tax rebate. PM Gordon Brown has two young children & undoubtedly claims Child Benefit for them.

[ThomasKaira]

URGH... talk about incompetent loonies...

I mean, come on, 25 MILLION people at potential risk of fraud? Have those people ever heard of the term "Handle With Care?"

[MattNW]

Don't worry. Eventually they will find the disks and none of the data will have been removed.

That's what happened some years ago when a bunch of hard drives with nuclear secrets went missing. They eventually found them in a place they had looked before without finding them but when they checked the drives all the data was still there so they determined there was no cause for alarm. Either the experts have never heard of copying data or the  "no data missing" dodge was to appease the public. No telling where the nuclear secrets are now.