Page 9 | Should I report my cousin's benefit fraud?

GreatAmberSnake · 2025-02-20T09:35:30+00:00

Hi everyone - I'm having a bit of a moral dilemma and looking to get everyone's opinions. My M34 cousin doesn't work, he claims PIP. I'm not that familiar with how it works but he says he's on the highest level available, and there's even talk of him getting given a car. He openly boasts at every opportunity about the extreme exaggerations and outright lies he put on his PIP application, and calls me and other members of the family idiots for working when we could just get our money from PIP like he does. If they investigated him they would easily find that some of his lies don't add up. I believe he genuinely does have depression and anxiety, but he has no physical issues. He said he put things like his partner needs to dress him in the morning (he split from his partner a couple of years ago), needs to wear velcro shoes as he can't tie laces etc. A home visit would show up some of his lies, and a call to the school (he's a weekend Dad but sometimes picks up/drops off his sons) or the Police (he's been arrested for drug offences a couple of times) would be further proof. The main thing stopping me from reporting him is his depression. He has attempted suicide on at least one occasion, and I fear that a potential prison sentence for fraud could send him into a spiral. Even if no-one found out it was me, I really don't want that on my conscience. If he didn't boast all the time I would just ignore it, it's not like it affects me directly, but it just winds me up every time he goes on about. Grrrr!! I do try to minimise contact with him but sometimes it's easier said than done. If he gets this car I think he'll become even more unbearable 😡 Help! What would you do?

TippledPink · 21/02/2025 21:17

Report- I don't know why people say it is hard to get, I know several people who claim it and definitely shouldn't be entitled, one of them lives in my house. It is very very annoying to see especially when you work very hard and they get to sleep, order takeaways and game all day long.

Middleagedspreadisreal · 21/02/2025 21:14

LadyKenya · 21/02/2025 19:14

What has that got to do with anything? The OP's Cousin maybe losing his PIP, or not, has absolutely no bearing on whether other people will be awarded PIP, or not. And how can anyone confidently assert that it is fraud, when they have no knowledge of the person in question, other than a questionable post, from a poster, who admits that she dislikes her Cousin, and does not even live with him, to know the real ins, and outs of his issues.

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Ok.

bigkahunaburger · 21/02/2025 21:13

If he refuses to engage with support and won't take meds they won't give PIP. They wiant to see you are doing everything you can and accessing all the support. Otherwise they will just claim that your struggles could be solved by meds and therapy.

Meeatcheese · 21/02/2025 21:10

Report him. I have a young, degree educated relative who spends all his free time pushing for a PIP. He too has depression, which doesn’t stop him from enjoying black market jobs, cash in hand. He has been offered lots of MH support, but refuses to engage. Despicable.

Buttheads · 21/02/2025 21:07

I think they might be removing Pip for mental health issues and changes to UC but this will be announced in the next few weeks.
Scary times

Julen7 · 21/02/2025 21:01

Anonforthis58 · 21/02/2025 20:57

No it doesn’t. @x2boys is correct. Others fraudulently claiming does not at all prevent you from being awarded a genuine claim. Whether gov cuts benefits or not, if you qualify, you qualify. It’s not like there’s a maximum number of claims allowed and once the quota is full, that’s it 🤨🙄

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Alright then 🙄

Anonforthis58 · 21/02/2025 20:57

Julen7 · 21/02/2025 20:30

It sort of does because it’s due to the huge number of people claiming that the govt say they are going to slash benefits

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No it doesn’t. @x2boys is correct. Others fraudulently claiming does not at all prevent you from being awarded a genuine claim. Whether gov cuts benefits or not, if you qualify, you qualify. It’s not like there’s a maximum number of claims allowed and once the quota is full, that’s it 🤨🙄

justify · 21/02/2025 20:45

PandoraSox · 20/02/2025 11:54

If he gets this car I think he'll become even more unbearable

If he has no physical issues @GreatAmberSnake he won't be getting the higher rate mobility component so won't qualify to lease a car from Motability. I hope that sets your mind at rest.

I am so sorry you have to endure his boasting about fraudulently claiming.

There are so many mumsnetters who have relatives/friends/neighbours/hairdressers/plumbers/sister's husband's cousin's wives who openly boast about defrauding the benefits system. It is quite astounding.

Edited

You can get a mobility car without any physical disabilities, overwhelming psychological distress and failure to complete a journey gives you enough points.

Vynalbob · 21/02/2025 20:37

Sorry I believe there's two possibilities here

You're lying trying a bit of a new phenomenon rage bait.

Or and maybe the most plausible

He knows it winds some members of the family up so plays to it.

It's not easy to get, you need substantial amounts of traceable evidence so either he's worse than you think or gets less. And to be honest if he's lying to doctors, consultants, DWP staff and got them all to believe them I rather doubt he'd be stupid enough to shout about it from the rafters.

If, a big if, everything is exactly as you say I'd have to really hate someone to report them if I knew they were likely to be suicidal.

justify · 21/02/2025 20:37

You can get high rate mobility for anxiety and depression because you qualify on the causing overwhelming distress of undertaking a journey. You are also awarded points for not being able to complete a journey. If you then qualify for high rate mobility you can get a mobility car and a bus pass.

Julen7 · 21/02/2025 20:30

x2boys · 21/02/2025 20:24

That makes no sense if you believe you are eligible for PIP than appeal
Somebody else eligibility makes no difference to your .,s

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It sort of does because it’s due to the huge number of people claiming that the govt say they are going to slash benefits

x2boys · 21/02/2025 20:24

Amiable · 21/02/2025 20:16

As someone who was refused PIP for not being disabled “enough”, I would report him

That makes no sense if you believe you are eligible for PIP than appeal
Somebody else eligibility makes no difference to your .,s

x2boys · 21/02/2025 20:20

Mere1 · 21/02/2025 20:12

I would report him. A fraud team will investigate. If he deserves those benefits he will keep them. If it’s fraud he will lose them and could be prosecuted. He could just be lying to you to ‘impress’. Let him be investigated. He’s stealing from those who need and are entitled to benefits. And, ultimately, from us all if it’s fraud.

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He's already been assessed by PIP as being eligible for it it's just his cousin who.admits to not liking him and not knowing much about how PIP works has decided he.isnt eligible.

Amiable · 21/02/2025 20:16

As someone who was refused PIP for not being disabled “enough”, I would report him

Mere1 · 21/02/2025 20:12

SeanMean · 20/02/2025 09:38

I would report. He sounds awful.

I would report him. A fraud team will investigate. If he deserves those benefits he will keep them. If it’s fraud he will lose them and could be prosecuted. He could just be lying to you to ‘impress’. Let him be investigated. He’s stealing from those who need and are entitled to benefits. And, ultimately, from us all if it’s fraud.

Itisalovelyday2025 · 21/02/2025 19:59

scanni · 21/02/2025 19:40

You realise what you are really saying here is that people with such poor mental health that they have suicidal ideation should not qualify for PIP.

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That's not what I'm saying at all I'm saying unless you can live with the consequences of your actions on your conscience then just ignore her cousins behaviour

cramptramp · 21/02/2025 19:53

I'd report him but nothing will happen and he'll continue getting away with it.

scanni · 21/02/2025 19:40

Itisalovelyday2025 · 21/02/2025 19:28

I don't agree with him at all but if he has suicidal tendencies I would definitely not report him, just stay away from him

You realise what you are really saying here is that people with such poor mental health that they have suicidal ideation should not qualify for PIP.

Butterfly292828 · 21/02/2025 19:37

Teanbiscuits33 · 21/02/2025 17:57

But you’ve been educated by a few posters. It takes absolutely ages to get an award so someone with an unpredictable condition like your friend with bipolar wouldn’t just come off it when they felt better. You’ve said your friend used to come off it when they were manic, that’s not ‘’better’’. You tried framing it like some sort of moral action when really they weren’t in their right mind.

When someone is awarded PIP, it is supposed to make their lives easier and more fulfilling and bearable, so even if, after being unwell, someone doesn’t seem like they should have it anymore, that doesn’t necessarily mean they shouldn’t, but more that that money is what’s enabling them to live as close to a normal life as possible.

I swear people think that disabled people should be rocking in a corner unable to do anything for themselves and have no elements of a normal life in order to qualify for PIP. It’s dehumanising. It’s like people want us to be ‘less than’ even more than we are already.

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Yes about attendance allowance for a friend, a few have been kind, & sent on some facts.

Itisalovelyday2025 · 21/02/2025 19:28

I don't agree with him at all but if he has suicidal tendencies I would definitely not report him, just stay away from him

SlowestHorse · 21/02/2025 19:21

I’d report. Why the hell should we all pay tax so he can do that?

LadyKenya · 21/02/2025 19:14

Middleagedspreadisreal · 21/02/2025 18:45

Report him. It's fraud. There are some, honest, people who can't get PIP that need it.

What has that got to do with anything? The OP's Cousin maybe losing his PIP, or not, has absolutely no bearing on whether other people will be awarded PIP, or not. And how can anyone confidently assert that it is fraud, when they have no knowledge of the person in question, other than a questionable post, from a poster, who admits that she dislikes her Cousin, and does not even live with him, to know the real ins, and outs of his issues.

Middleagedspreadisreal · 21/02/2025 18:45

Report him. It's fraud. There are some, honest, people who can't get PIP that need it.

Butterfly292828 · 21/02/2025 18:36

Teanbiscuits33 · 21/02/2025 17:57

But you’ve been educated by a few posters. It takes absolutely ages to get an award so someone with an unpredictable condition like your friend with bipolar wouldn’t just come off it when they felt better. You’ve said your friend used to come off it when they were manic, that’s not ‘’better’’. You tried framing it like some sort of moral action when really they weren’t in their right mind.

When someone is awarded PIP, it is supposed to make their lives easier and more fulfilling and bearable, so even if, after being unwell, someone doesn’t seem like they should have it anymore, that doesn’t necessarily mean they shouldn’t, but more that that money is what’s enabling them to live as close to a normal life as possible.

I swear people think that disabled people should be rocking in a corner unable to do anything for themselves and have no elements of a normal life in order to qualify for PIP. It’s dehumanising. It’s like people want us to be ‘less than’ even more than we are already.

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Well that’s good you that can stay on after 20yrs of being fine.
my sister didn’t take a moral high ground, she would ring up the Social & take herself off DLA because she was on such a super high that she “felt cured”in her words- we as a family knew that wasn’t the case! The nurses & SS that used to visit her, would have to do all the forms again, it was bloody stressful as my mum & dad had to help her out financially.
BTW half the posters on here must ignorant as well, because a lot are saying “shop him”. Why don’t you educate them & leave me alone.

Jaehee · 21/02/2025 18:34

Teanbiscuits33 · 21/02/2025 17:57

But you’ve been educated by a few posters. It takes absolutely ages to get an award so someone with an unpredictable condition like your friend with bipolar wouldn’t just come off it when they felt better. You’ve said your friend used to come off it when they were manic, that’s not ‘’better’’. You tried framing it like some sort of moral action when really they weren’t in their right mind.

When someone is awarded PIP, it is supposed to make their lives easier and more fulfilling and bearable, so even if, after being unwell, someone doesn’t seem like they should have it anymore, that doesn’t necessarily mean they shouldn’t, but more that that money is what’s enabling them to live as close to a normal life as possible.

I swear people think that disabled people should be rocking in a corner unable to do anything for themselves and have no elements of a normal life in order to qualify for PIP. It’s dehumanising. It’s like people want us to be ‘less than’ even more than we are already.

Show quote history

I swear people think that disabled people should be rocking in a corner unable to do anything for themselves and have no elements of a normal life in order to qualify for PIP. It’s dehumanising. It’s like people want us to be ‘less than’ even more than we are already.

Oh, without a doubt. Someone posted a few pages back about how someone they know on PIP is a regular visitor of a holiday resort. As if people with disabilities shouldn't be allowed to go on holiday. Someone else said something about a claimant smiling in pictures. I'm sure many people believe that if you're anything less than quadriplegic you shouldn't be entitled to anything. And even then, some people would want an itemised list of what the money was being spent on.

Another classic that gets trotted out is how people didn't used to have all these problems, they just got on with it like the poster who said no one starved to death. People have always had these problems, but they would have been hidden away in asylums or other institutions. They might have been involuntarily housebound because accessibility wasn't a thing, or hidden away at home because the autistic child making strange noises rocking back and forth would have been disgraced and brought shame to a family. And people literally did starve to death. For many, not being able to work or keep on top of work led to destitution. Force feeding was common in asylums, and if necessary patients would be placed in a straitjacket to facilitate it.