To think this “crackdown” on benefit fraud is absolutely pathetic

The person you describe is probably in receipt of housing benefit and saved all year/for years to pay for it. The two people can’t be compared, she likely doesn’t have the income to facilitate nursery costs/a mortgage/childcare/a car/extra curricular activities/kids clubs/many new clothes etc etc etc. If those who worked go without those things like people on benefits, but still don’t have the funds for a holiday, then you can start complaining. But look at yourself to think someone out of work should never go on holiday or have anything nice. they’re human beings too. They have a life

his industrial injury benefit puts him over pension credit limit

They’ve always conveniently done that.

In the same way the number of people taken off disability benefits never has a “oh but this number won their appeals” later update.

If its because he reaches State pension age, won’t he then qualify for Pension Credit?

They are going to move all tax credit benefits to universal credit BUT my husband doesn't qualify for UC because of his age (like thousnads of others) so will loose a hell of a lot of money plus the "benefits" such as free dental

It doesn't help the government have started lumping official error, which has nothing to do with claimant fraud, into the mix of numbers.😗

This.
And I don’t know why people often say that the true amount of benefit fraud is relatively tiny. Maybe it is, but by definition the only cases known about are those that have been investigated and proved.

It’s noticeable that whenever a MNer posts to say they know for certain that someone is committing benefit fraud, should they report it? - the vast majority of replies say keep your nose out, MYOB.

But of course tax loopholes for the relatively (or stinking) rich should be abolished. The U.K. needs all the tax it can get.

Why can the cms put this much effort into getting absent parents to pay?

Who cares? Might be child maintenance or somebody has paid for her.

Tax avoidance is people doing legal things to keep more of what they’ve earned/generated.
Benefit fraud is people doing illegal things to steal from others.
quite a clear difference to me.

I agree that we should make it harder for people to avoid tax, close loop holes etc. though.

First they came for the benefit claimants, and I was not a benefit claimant, so I said nothing...

Tbh, tax avoidance is monitored too, but you only hear about the big earners/millionaires. My dh is an accountant, and he says hmrc do spot checks on the self employed often. I absolutely agree that benefits should be monitored. Why shouldn’t they? It’s like you’re suggesting that benefit claimants should be allowed to get away with fraud, because it’s not as much as what’s lost on tax avoidance? It’s all relative - probably similar numbers of people in both camps, but obviously tax avoidance funds per person are going to be a lot more.

Totally agree, espically when SOME of those claiming benefits actully earn more money not working, than the actual people who work and pay the taxes to enable the benefits to be paid in the first place. Before anybody slates me for saying this, I will tell you about my friends daughter, who is an unemployed single mum of 3. Never worked since leaving school (she is 26), yet she has just returned from a family holiday to Florida, all paid for by her benefits. How many hard working parents can afford such a holiday.

Where do you get that figure?

Is it this? If so, that's 2011 and is ALL fraud

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7a506eed915d1a6421c970/fraud-focus-feb11.pdf

Do tell if you have another source.

I agree with OP & would go further to say that it's rubbish that people on benefits struggle so much & IMO only committed fraud because they're put in the position of not being able to get by in the first place

Except that the group A are by far the more vulnerable, have to fight for every penny just to get by, & the tax evaders are hardly skint to start with, & are doing it because they can. Not because they need to live

I am not sure 38 billion in benefit fraud is ok. That is just the people they caught…

Yeah, think it can be summed up as 'lets give people who are sure to vote Tory a massive break, and clamp down on people who would never vote for us'.

Have you heard of benefit tourism OP? People who claim benefits here and don’t live in the U.K. Taking up housing that nobody lives in.

It’s not a victimless crime.

Please make that claim. There are plenty of organisations/charities that can help you. The government rely on people like you not bothering to claim, hence so many unclaimed benefits. The wording on the claim form is crucial and it's also imperative that you submit a copy of your prescription list (or a list of your medications) and copies of all the relevant medical letters etc. Good luck!

Of course they won’t go after the tax avoiders, they’re all in bed together and licking each other’s arses, far better to target the vulnerable because they don’t matter to the Tories and they’re easy pickings, another example of how fucking corrupt this government is, they’re disgusting

I'd like to know exactly who voted for this. Apparently over half the people asked said this was an acceptable way to monitor people. I am disabled living on £700 a month. When I heard about this, I decided that I will withdraw my money in cash and spend it this way. I also think that we should be able to see government statements, that's more important for the country. It's ridiculous, surely benefit fraud would involve people working for cash, how is this going to catch them?

We don't know and neither does the DWP, which is why their figure is an estimate. However even that's based only on those who've been caught, so the real figure will be higher

And no, big business/government fraud isn't justifiable either

Most people that I know work hard for their money and pay tax; I don’t enjoy the idea of anyone freeloading. Do benefit fraudsters have the moral high ground? They are cheating the community. They aren’t all impecunious, either. I don’t want people to avoid tax, but both sets of criminals should be prosecuted and made to repay what they owe to schools, hospitals etc.