Should I report my cousin's benefit fraud?

You make a good point, and I don’t know. Maybe people who aren’t fairly sure of qualifying are put off. I heard that very few are approved on first application, but if you choose to appeal most are then approved. Which sounds to me like the system is pretty broken. But you’re right - it’s a massive (over)spend.

Not being goady but if it’s notoriously difficult to claim, why are 50% of claims approved and we have 3.5 million people claiming it? We spend more on disability benefits than our entire military budget, so it must be a lot?

Not sure this true though. My (adult) DD gets PIP. The diagnosis letters were submitted as proof of the conditions, but PIP is awarded for the impact it has upon her life, which was purely evidenced by the form filling and then double checked via a telephone call.

We did have one home visit to have me vetted to be her representative (forget what they called it) where she was observed during her giving permission, but they didn’t need any evidence whatsoever of the claims I was making (eg that she cannot be trusted to cook food/live alone because she regularly leave the stove on which is a danger to other family members; that she can only use public transport on established routes, with a friend/family member waiting at the other end; that a parent has to be on standby to go and collect from college or any trip out with friends in case of meltdown- including my driving at 4am to London on NYs day) etc.

They took everything I said as ‘truth’ (it was and I was clear that I was applying so that she had her own money to scaffold her into Higher Ed, to cover taxis to college as needed, pay for private therapy or medications only prescribed privately until shared care can be agreed).

Yep. It is like disability benefits bashing bingo.

Sadly, MNHQ don't give a toss. Hatred drives traffic to threads, so all good.

I'd report. If he's "innocent" then nothing bad will happen. If he is fraudulently claiming, then he deserves all the punishments he gets.

The OP spouts the usual, about free cars, bragging, making up health issues. Textbook really.

the man has a history of suicide attempts and depression.
He would have had to provide a lot of medical proof and evidence in order to get PIP. Most people get turned down. He would have likely had interviews too

The chances are that he is downplaying the severity of his issues to family to make it seem like hes jack the lad and isnt actually seriously mentally unwell a lot of the time.

It is not easy to get PIP. Its a horrible process. You dont just apply for it and get it.

Dont get involved.

@mydogisthebest
As I've mentioned in my previous posts, a lot of people who report do not know the full story and a lot of the time the reported person isn't even on the benefits the reporter has claimed!
However, if benefits are in payment then yes, fraud reports are investigated albeit in a lower level than full on surveillance which everybody seems to want to or expects to happen!

I don't think like that. Why are you convinced this is made up?

100% this - do better, op

Gosh my brother can't face claiming PIP as his mental health is so.poor. his physical health is also dreadful and there's no way he can work. He tried applying for volunteering roles and they found reasons to turn him down - which I fully understand. He is an absolute shoe in for PIP but is scared of the process. Due to his suicidal thoughts I only get so far in recommending he applies and I can see it may well push him over the edge.

I can't believe the system is so dreadful that people like this get it whereas those genuinely in need but cannot face the process lose out.

It's entirely up to you whether you say something or not to DWP, however, it could have serious detrimental impacts on him.

You say you aren't close to him, and so I wonder if you know the full picture - a lot of people who know me certainly don't and I receive the highest rates of both elements of PIP.

Let's just take the doing the school run thing you mentioned, unless he's able to do this every single morning and afternoon then this will count as an example to PIP being awarded as you've said he does it only occasionally - part of PIP is based on the percentage of time you cannot do things, or flipped, that you can do things.

You have to have evidence for PIP - last time I went through mine I had evidence from multiple doctors and multiple organisations (Police, victim support, a UK outdoors organisation etc.) in my experience it is not given out that freely to people, especially the mobility part in relation to mental health conditions.

People often claim they know people lying on PIP forms but the reality is that they just don't know the situation someone is going through, usually because they aren't close to that person - let's face it if you are going to come out and accuse some of lying and being fraudulent it's a good sign you don't have a great relationship with that person to start off with. Nobody has to share details of any health conditions in full with anyone else, and there stigma around mental health makes those conditions even more hard to share with people, especially those you aren't close to.

And your qualifications for that assertion are???

You're very close to suggesting these conditions don't exist with a comment like that. I mean, if you have groundbreaking research that proves that several hundred years of medical research has been fabricated for shits and giggles, we're all dying to hear it. Plenty of psychiatrists and doctors would need to be struck off for creating delusional diagnoses, which would be a whole can of worms. And the pharmaceutical industry would collapse.

Let me guess - it's all about resilience, having a bath, going for a walk and eating a banana in your books.

Of all the asinine comments I've seen on here, yours is in the top ten.

Agreed. And like some others on the thread, thinks it's an out of work benefit.

It's difficult be because he has depression to the point he attempted suicide. You said he has other MH issues and anxiety. Some MH/PDs can send a person on a 'high', which means bragging etc. He knows he'd get a car on a cheap lease agreement (which is what the mobility scheme is), not a free one. So I'm wondering if he isn't saying what he does to feel better about his situation, as well as a bit of a wind up. He won't get the highest amount of PIP on say so. I know people who have very genuine, severe mobility issues, with medical evidence and who don't get it. That will be him exaggerating and might be his defence against his anxiety.

Na. The people who take the trouble to make up post this sort of guff dislike disabled people receiving help generally and are resentful of them. The Motability scheme in particular gets their backs up. They'd prefer a return to invalid carriages or something like that.

My partner is waiting for an ankle replacement, meanwhile he has been diagnosed with cancer. Neither of us are prepared to lie. Citizens advice filled the forms in for us and agree as he is a builder he cannot work. He's been turned down twice, the last time telling him he could still work on a building site using his arms!

I would have to report this - it is morally wrong on all counts. The fact that he laughs at relatives because they work for a living is very unfair IMO.

If you knew anything about the criteria, then you would know, that he does not have to be a prisoner in his home, he can go outside. The fact he has a dog, and a partner he goes out with, could be part of the reason he is able to do so. Get on with your own life, and leave your neighbour alone. I am glad that nothing has been done, because there is likely NOTHING to be done!

So when do you investigate if someone reports? As I said, I have reported my neighbour numerous times and nothing is done about it.

Pretty easy to see he is lying when he says he cannot leave the house to work due to anxiety but in fact leaves his house almost every day and works cash in hand

Exactly. Depression, anxiety etc are just about impossible to diagnose and if you are a good enough liar you can almost certainly convince a GP that you are suffering from them.

While it's easy to have these diagnosed by a GP all they really do is throw SSRI's at it. In order to evidence you cannot perform the basic functions in the criteria for PIP you usually need much more than a simple visit to the GP.

Exactly. Depression, anxiety etc are just about impossible to diagnose and if you are a good enough liar you can almost certainly convince a GP that you are suffering from them.

If this is true then he is probably also claiming universal credit so is kind of 'rolling in it' as this would give him a fair bit more a month depending on his housing costs and health status. You should report your concerns.

There is definitely 100% wrongdoing and NOTHING has been done about it.

Did you read my post? He claims he cannot leave the house to work as his anxiety is so bad and yet in fact leaves the house just about every day AND works cash in hand.

Maybe that is ok to you but it is not to me

He clearly has mental health issues and depression, you say he’s tried to commit suicide.

If you think he’s claiming fraudulently then report him I guess. But likely you don’t know the full story,