Living at a multiple occupancy address, it is impossible to prevent identifying details from falling into the hands of anyone who wants them. When recently I finished work, I did not wish to claim benefit. Then I realised this presented a window of opportunity for anyone else to fraudulently claim in my name. I then discovered there is no way you can register as unemployed, but not receiving benefit, so as to protect yourself from this happening. My situation applies to about 1 million other people in the country.
In the end, I put in a claim (for the princely sum of £20 as I have a small pension), as I considered this the safest option. But I should not have had to.