Is it ever OK to report anyone?

You realise that it's your taxes that pay for the benefits people are fraudulently claiming? Pointing out inefficiencies in the NHS doesn't change this fact. Why shouldn't somebody report a father who is hiding income to avoid paying his share of support for his own children?

The stress of potentially being accused of benefit fraud and investigated because some busy body who doesn't actually know anything about your health needs and only sees the good day you you try and present to the world instead of the one where you can't walk and are stuck in bed unfed, has decided you don't seem as disabled as you actually are is so stressful it really impacts the wellbeing, behaviour and potential recovery of long term unwell people. I would much rather have a handful (relatively speaking) of people who have managed to cheat their way onto PIP somehow then for unwell / disabled people to have to deal with this constant worry.

i found it very hard not to report a relative- they had 7 dc - got free dental care - school meals- help with rent but their dh also worked full time cash in hand . Via a fale id amd his dad s phone contact.- holidays abroad. .
they said directly to my face about these things - and said “ we wouldn’t get puy of bad for your wage
“ - I waa a qualified social worker working at the hars end of things at the time .

Personally I think the only time it is acceptable to report someone for stuff like this is if the behaviour directly puts another at risk. So child safeguarding. Drunk or dangerous driving, animal abuse etc. otherwise just mind your own business. We're all just trying to get by in the world. I don't care what other people do.

I reported someone employing illegal workers. A couple months after my call the shop was raided and one illegal was found. They ended up claiming asylum here and the owner was fined £35,000. Don’t feel bad about it whatsoever

I mean, how you would know that someone living there is claiming benefits as a single person?

No. The taxpayer is defrauded by far bigger fish and for much more money than someone on a couple of quid extra on benefits.

I'd report fraud if I was confident it was happening in the same way I'd report any theft. I wouldn't agonise over it. I'm honest and I wish other people were honest too.

@MumblesParty given that you've now been confronted with the reality of what a malicious or inaccurate report can do, are you prepared to admit you were wrong?

My rent support was stopped during investigation. The investigation took longer than 2 months, so I was evicted for non-payment of rent.

The landlords got their money when the investigation was finished. By then I was 150 miles away, sofa-surfing with relatives and all my furniture & stuff in various people's sheds and gardens. I lost my work and my cat. My life never recovered.

2 wrongs don’t make a right. And no one said they’d report benefit fraud but turn a blind eye to tax evasion. I’d report both if I was sufficiently sure of my facts.

Are you asking how you know if your neighbour’s partner lives with them? It’s not difficult. My next door neighbours are 2 adults with 2 teenagers. Over the last 18 years I’ve seen them leaving, arriving, going out together, going out separately, in the garden , going on holiday, also seen them at local village events, and obviously talked to them many times.
I know with absolute certainty that all 4 of them live in the house next door to mine. It’s not rocket science.

Why on earth would I want to report any kind of benefit fraud while our greedy MP’s and the like are a far bigger drain on the public purse? And don’t get me started on the tax avoidance schemes which are far more criminal in my mind than most benefit fraud.

@Garlicked how did she make you homeless?

car tax often means an unsafe vehicle as no MOT either and maybe no insurance....someone who had forgotten to tax their car for a couple of days then no, but serial offenders absolutely.

This

I did, car tax.

i knew they had effectively stolen the car off an elderly relative though. I also knew they were using that relative’s blue badge, without them, but had no proof on that one.

not one ounce of guilt. I just hope they got a fine at least.

Who do you think pays though? It's not some faceless entity is it? It is you, you pay for it. It's no different to retailers hiking their prices for people who don't steal from them to cover the cost of the things that thieves steal.

See, this situation I understand.

Things like car tax or Tv license - I just could not care enough to report. I don’t understand why people can’t focus on their own lives.

Tv license... really nt bothered. We pay ours, but I really resent the bullying tactics used in enforcement.

Car tax... if I knew it wasn't taxed due to no MOT, probably if I'm honest. Potentially dangerous cars don't belong on the roads.

Benefit fraud... only if I knew they were actually a millionaire!

If I felt that someone/something was really at risk or if it was severe fraud that I knew for 100% was fraud (talking more probably financial/family circumstances I think maybe financial abuse or something)

I think often people won't until they see the impact someone's actions have had.

For example, the whole covid, stay at home,report result and isolate etc, I thought a bit OTT. Until I attended the funeral of a 15 year old child who died from Covid, this was absolutely heartbreaking and changed my opinion

Only if there was a welfare issue. So, animals or children being neglected, domestic violence (where safe for the victim!), someone drink driving etc.

i would never snitch for tax/benefits matters.
i’m more concerned about massive corporations not paying appropriate taxes than Mandy down the road getting cash in hand for her 16 hour a week job.

Because how would you know, 100%?

If you report someone based on suspicion then you could potentially make their life incredibly difficult as sometimes benefits get stopped while they investigate. I would never feel comfortable to do that to someone.

Believe what you like, this person is a family member so I know for a fact.