Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is this fraud?

61 replies

cloudbusting123 · 18/03/2025 09:20

This is a question for a friend not myself:

Friend (Anna) and husband (John) are in a bad relationship, she has two DC (10 and 7). Friend has been trying to leave husband for a while but has not been in a position financially to leave.

Anna’s sister has just bought a new house with enough room for Anna and her two children to live in for the next year whilst she gets on her feet and long term looks to move to the area that her sister is in.

Annas DC (10) will be applying for high schools whilst they will be staying at their sister house.

Is it ok for Anna to apply for high schools in that area as they are staying with Anna’s sister or would she need to apply under the address that John will be residing in? The local high school is in walking distance from Anna’s sisters house but would be a different catchment area from John’s house.

It would make more sense for her to apply in that area as she is looking for a house there but she worries that this might be fraud?

Geniune concern for Anna (and not for me) so please don’t flame me!

AIBU - this is fraud

YANBU - no that makes sense

OP posts:
Swiftie1878 · 18/03/2025 09:38

We have friends who moved out of their home whilst they were having renovations done. They took a 6 month rental.
The time to apply for schools was during the rental period and the rental was in catchment for a brilliant state school. They got their child in using the rental address, as that was where they were living at the time!

Original poster
cloudbusting123 · 18/03/2025 09:33

@MrsBennetsPoorNervesyes she will, although I don’t think she will be physically paying the bills just paying rent to her sister. But I assume she will be on the electoral roll.

OP posts:
MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 18/03/2025 09:30

Will Anna be changing her address on all of her official documents, e.g. driving licence, bank etc?

Will she be paying any rent to her dsis or contributing to household bills etc? Will the various council tax payments reflect the new living arrangements?

Will Anna be listed on the electoral roll at her sister's home?

I don't think it's fraudulent if they are genuinely living there rather than just staying on a temporary basis but it's hard to tell.

X post with @Loubylie

Loubylie · 18/03/2025 09:28

If she's actually living at her sister's, on the electoral roll there, paying council tax and registered at that address with her bank etc, then it's legally her home so perfectly fine to apply for a school place from there. She should ring the school to check too.

Weekabc · 18/03/2025 09:26

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Peridot1 · 18/03/2025 09:25

If she is planning on buying in that area once in a position to then I don’t think it’s fraud.

Original poster
cloudbusting123 · 18/03/2025 09:25

@SwerveCity definitely legitimate, was not even a school she had considered and DC will be away from friends.

OP posts:
Original poster
cloudbusting123 · 18/03/2025 09:24

@weekabcnot an answer to the question, but I can assure you this is not me. My DC are nowhere near high school applications yet and eldest is SEN so won’t affect me.

OP posts:
SwerveCity · 18/03/2025 09:23

Well if she is officially living there, then it’s legit I think. If she’s just using the address to get into a particular school then that’s not allowed.

Weekabc · 18/03/2025 09:22

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Weekabc · 18/03/2025 09:21

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.