Page 9 | Reported possible benefit fraud

PrimitivePerson · 25/03/2025 16:54

What a shitty thing to do. I hope it keeps you awake at night enough to never do it again.

dovetail22uk · 25/03/2025 16:53

snitchapparently · 25/03/2025 16:47

No, because they’re not a carer in that sense of the word. They are using their elderly parent as a way to get extra income essentially. Most of us will face looking after our aging parents, but most of us wouldn’t use it as a way to get money to which we’re not entitled.

Appreciate many people think I’m unreasonable, I take on your views. However the “you only have a suspicion” folk, thats a bit daft as that’s all anyone can ever have - pieces of information which culminate in suspicion which is then looked into. Other than people reporting themselves I’m not sure how you think this works!

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Stop wasting people's time. This is just awful. If you have no evidence you have nothing.

FoucaultsPendulum · 25/03/2025 16:53

"Fairly" sure is not good enough to launch something like this.

Allatonce2024 · 25/03/2025 16:52

If the parent could not live without someone caring for them, then the person you reported must be providing care.

My sister is an agency carer, paid by the clients themselves or funded care.

Her duties include:
Arranging appointments, doing washing &ironing, food shops, paying bills, life admin...all things the clients couldn't do themselves but need doing and all things that my sister often does not in the company of the client.

Maybe that's where the extra caring hours you're not seeing are being spent

Disscombobulated · 25/03/2025 16:52

Carers allowance is currently £81.90 per week, the criteria is 35 hours (minimum) per week, that’s a maximum of £2.34 per hour! It’s a pittance and frankly an embarrassment on society.

Caring isnt linear, there are often some repetitive tasks, but many tasks are unpredictable and unplanned. There is a very clear earnings threshold (£150 PW, I believe).

I am a carer, although I am fortunate that I don’t work, many, many do - who can live on £81.90 a week? From the outside you have no idea how much work is undertaken. IMO it’s an unbelievably nasty thing which you have done.

pinkyredrose · 25/03/2025 16:51

Is this person related to you?

Bignanna · 25/03/2025 16:51

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 25/03/2025 16:46

Let's assume you're right and that it's easy for benefit fraud to go undiscovered for any length of time: even with a sizeable contingency the percentage would be low.

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Even so, it shouldn’t be regarded as insignificant.

Boomer55 · 25/03/2025 16:51

snitchapparently · 25/03/2025 16:16

I suspect someone of claiming carers allowance fraudulently, and after bottling out several times, I just submitted a report. It’s likely to get back to me if something comes of this and I feel like the bad guy for doing it. Am I the bad guy?! Should I just not have said anything?!

To claim you need to be providing 35 hours a week of care and also earn under a certain threshold and I’m fairly sure this person meets neither of those criteria. (If I’m wrong, of course, there will be no ill effect to the claim).

Feel quite stressed.

I hope you feel better for reporting someone. I also hope you also understand what caring for someone involves, as I do. 🤷‍♀️

Oioisavaloy27 · 25/03/2025 16:50

snitchapparently · 25/03/2025 16:24

Yes I know how much a true carer does, but I don’t believe this is a carer situation. Person works full time, doesn’t spend all day caring for said person.

There will be no affect on their claim if somehow their full time job doesn’t actually earn that much money, which is unlikely.

But fair enough, general consensus is to allow people to claim money not entitled to, I shall keep that one in mind, thanks all for the consensus 😊

How do you know that the person is not being cared for throughout the night? You sound like a busybody and a not very nice person.

SerendipityJane · 25/03/2025 16:50

DriveMeCrazy1974 · 25/03/2025 16:46

Perhaps they spend most of their evening caring for the person? It's not a 9-5 job, after all. I hope you have got your facts straight, otherwise, this could cause a whole load of added pressure to these people.

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Some people need help to get out of bed. So they need care through the night.

That's 7x9 hours (10pm-8am) = 63 hours a week.

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 25/03/2025 16:49

snitchapparently · 25/03/2025 16:48

No, they even got a second cash in hand evening job at one point. As I say, I’m as sure as I can be without living with the person that they simply don’t meet any of the criteria.

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And you know they didn't declare it to HMRC do you?

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 25/03/2025 16:49

snitchapparently · 25/03/2025 16:47

No, because they’re not a carer in that sense of the word. They are using their elderly parent as a way to get extra income essentially. Most of us will face looking after our aging parents, but most of us wouldn’t use it as a way to get money to which we’re not entitled.

Appreciate many people think I’m unreasonable, I take on your views. However the “you only have a suspicion” folk, thats a bit daft as that’s all anyone can ever have - pieces of information which culminate in suspicion which is then looked into. Other than people reporting themselves I’m not sure how you think this works!

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If they're caring for an elderly parent and have succeeded in jumping through the many hoops standing between them and the carers allowance, then they're entitled to it.

Original poster

snitchapparently · 25/03/2025 16:48

DriveMeCrazy1974 · 25/03/2025 16:46

Perhaps they spend most of their evening caring for the person? It's not a 9-5 job, after all. I hope you have got your facts straight, otherwise, this could cause a whole load of added pressure to these people.

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No, they even got a second cash in hand evening job at one point. As I say, I’m as sure as I can be without living with the person that they simply don’t meet any of the criteria.

OP posts:

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 25/03/2025 16:48

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster

snitchapparently · 25/03/2025 16:47

IkeaJesusChrist · 25/03/2025 16:36

Jesus you've reported a carer?

No, because they’re not a carer in that sense of the word. They are using their elderly parent as a way to get extra income essentially. Most of us will face looking after our aging parents, but most of us wouldn’t use it as a way to get money to which we’re not entitled.

Appreciate many people think I’m unreasonable, I take on your views. However the “you only have a suspicion” folk, thats a bit daft as that’s all anyone can ever have - pieces of information which culminate in suspicion which is then looked into. Other than people reporting themselves I’m not sure how you think this works!

OP posts:

Anonym00se · 25/03/2025 16:47

Fucking hell, this country is going to the dogs. Sticking the boot in to a carer, really? I despair.

SerendipityJane · 25/03/2025 16:47

Bignanna · 25/03/2025 16:42

That we know of. Plenty won’t get reported

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same as tax dodged then.

That being said, there are ways and means (needs a bit of smarts though).

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 25/03/2025 16:46

Bignanna · 25/03/2025 16:42

That we know of. Plenty won’t get reported

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Let's assume you're right and that it's easy for benefit fraud to go undiscovered for any length of time: even with a sizeable contingency the percentage would be low.

dovetail22uk · 25/03/2025 16:46

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DriveMeCrazy1974 · 25/03/2025 16:46

snitchapparently · 25/03/2025 16:24

Yes I know how much a true carer does, but I don’t believe this is a carer situation. Person works full time, doesn’t spend all day caring for said person.

There will be no affect on their claim if somehow their full time job doesn’t actually earn that much money, which is unlikely.

But fair enough, general consensus is to allow people to claim money not entitled to, I shall keep that one in mind, thanks all for the consensus 😊

Perhaps they spend most of their evening caring for the person? It's not a 9-5 job, after all. I hope you have got your facts straight, otherwise, this could cause a whole load of added pressure to these people.

backoncrack · 25/03/2025 16:46

Unless they are self employed inland revenue notifies carers if you go over so it’s quite hard to get away with over earning. Caring is 35 hours a week which is less than a third of a day. So unless they don’t live with the person and don’t visit it’s not that hard to meet the hours criteria

Binman · 25/03/2025 16:45

Are they actually receiving carers allowance or the UC carer top up? Because you can work full time and have the latter.

Also caring isn’t a 9 to 5 job and there are allowable expenses that can be deducted from earnings to fall below the threshold. Carers allowance is strict but there are variables.

pizzaHeart · 25/03/2025 16:45

If they work full time they certainly are not meeting the criteria.
Are you sure that they are claiming carer allowance? People can be counted as carers without receiving carer allowance for some specific situations. They can have a Carer card from the local council or carer centre but still not receive a carer allowance. E.g mum working full time wouldn’t be getting carer allowance but she would get free flu jab as a carer for her disabled child. If they visited the attraction this mum might get free ticket for herself as an essential carer. She would need to show relevant DLA/PIP paperwork which showed that the child needed extra support.

So ime people often misunderstand the meaning of “carer” . There are carers who receive Carer allowance and there are carers who work full time so don’t receive Carer allowance. They both will call themselves carers in a conversation and some people might get confused.
Im saying this because it’s always worth to know before judging people. I wouldn’t be upset about the check myself, I would be ok but I would be upset that one of my friends thought so low about me. It would hurt.

PoopingAllTheWay · 25/03/2025 16:44

Do you know just how much it takes out of you to be a carer!?
Not just Physical but Emotional too

Wow OP, congrats on making two people’s lives harder 👏

Bignanna · 25/03/2025 16:42

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 25/03/2025 16:33

Tell me you're ignorant without saying "I'm ignorant".

Benefits fraud is at 0.2%

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That we know of. Plenty won’t get reported