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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Would you report a friend for benefit fraud?

111 replies

Acompletelyrandomname · 21/07/2025 23:45

The scenario:

Your child is friends with their child, that's how you know them. You're friendly and see them for play dates but you're not especially close to them as a person.

They split up with their DH after years of infidelity and the DH moved out.

She is now claiming benefits as a single parent a year on but you suspect the xDH might be living there again.

Considerations:

I think she would qualify as being a disabled person based on health problems. They also have a disabled child.

Would you report this woman?

YABU - No
YANBU - Yes

I've name changed.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Laura95167 · 24/07/2025 20:23

Not on the basis of a suspicion.

You know nothing so have nothing to say

teksquad · 23/07/2025 01:57

wrong thread!

Catladywithoutacat · 23/07/2025 01:56

No wtf why would you even ask this

teksquad · 23/07/2025 01:56

Oh god the the condescension. Do you really think you are the only person that understands DSDs? They have all been discussed on here millions of times. Of course CAIS individuals have a Y chromosome but are women. Of course we understand that its not really about the Y chromosome anyway, its about SRY gene expression. Of course we understand genetic mosaicism, rare as it is. Of course there are other downstream genetic disorders that stop sex hormones working properly. None of these rare genetic disorders change the fact that there are only 2 sex developmental pathways that humans beings can go down and they are mutually exclusive. There are no humans producing both eggs and sperm. There are no hermaphrodites. Sex is binary in humans and normal SRY gene expression, normaly found on the Y chromosome, works correctly 99.9% of the time in kicking off the male developmental pathway. Its all been discussed 1000 times. DSD individuals arent a third sex.

All well understood, for years, and explained at the molecular level with pictures here: https://theparadoxinstitute.org/read/sex-development-charts

Even in the rarest cases (extremely rare) or weird mosaicisms where some cells have Y chromosome/SRY activation/androgen sensitivity and some don't, the resultant human being is still female or male, has ovarian or testes or streak gonads. None of these extremely rare genetic mistakes gives a thrid sex or an actual hermaphrodite.

Sex Development Charts — Paradox Institute

A series of flow charts showing the steps of sex development for typical males and females and a variety of DSDs.

https://theparadoxinstitute.org/read/sex-development-charts

LadyKenya · 22/07/2025 08:55

No.

Rooroobear · 22/07/2025 08:51

You seem pretty determined to justify your reasoning op. I think regardless of what people are saying to you you’re going to report her. You just wanted us to justify it to you, which you’ve found isn’t the case. Shame on you when you don’t know her circumstances

Summerartwitch · 22/07/2025 08:42

I have already commented with a 'mind your own business' type post.

But I wanted to add I am always amazed at how people who start this type of thread claim to know so much about somebody else's financial situation.

In my 54 years on this planet I have never met anyone who randomly discloses to friends/acquaintances or colleagues every detail of the money they have coming in, what benefits they claim and how much money they receive from the state.

And I am also yet to meet anyone who loudly brags about claiming benefits they are not really entitled to.

Yet we keep having these threads where a self-righteous OP makes it their business to report benefit 'fraud' based on 'suspicions' and claims to know everything about somebody else's life.

Some people really need new hobbies.

MalcolmMoo · 22/07/2025 08:30

I would if you knew 100% he lived there but you only have a suspicion atm.

castleclass · 22/07/2025 08:16

You don’t know he lives there, even if he does you don’t know what she claims or why. You do know she has health issues, a disabled child and has recently bene through a marriage break up, albeit potentially being resolved.

Do you not think based on what you know Vs what you think you know that you should stay the fuck out of her business?

WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 22/07/2025 08:15

No, because all you have is assumptions and the word of a 7yo. If she and her child are disabled they could be struggling to cope on their own, so while the ex might be an arsehole, he still might be willing to help out and co parent for the sake of the kid.

We had a mum who suffered a severe mental breakdown and the dad (her ex) moved back in for a while to make sure the children were safe and keep some form of stability in place. That went on for months, while she was sectioned and then went through recovery. When things settled he went back to his flat(but around a lot) because they were still separated, but the needs of the children came first. They never got back together and they’re with different people now.

pinkpurplegreenyellow · 22/07/2025 08:15

You’d be so evil to report her. This woman likely thinks that you’re a nice woman but meanwhile you’re looking to report her. Honestly, you don’t know the ins and outs of her business. Stay out of it, but I hope that energy finds you and fucks your shit up.

Motherofalittledragon · 22/07/2025 08:13

So you don’t even know he’s living there for definite, get a hobby and mind your own business.

ilovesooty · 22/07/2025 08:11

Locutus2000 · 22/07/2025 07:20

Lol, as if the exact same thread hasn't been posted a hundred times.

They always name change for them as well. I think that's an abuse of the name change facility personally.

Serpentstooth · 22/07/2025 08:07

You sound like a good friend to have. Why not report her and make her already miserable life worse? Think how proud you'll feel if she is arrested and publicly shamed and it will be due to you poking your uninformed nose into someone else's life. I don't know how some people live with themselves.

Mingenious · 22/07/2025 08:06

I couldn’t call someone a friends if I was considering reporting them for something, unless it was an extremely serious criminal offence, and then I’d be unlikely to be friends with them anyway.

AutumnLeaves95 · 22/07/2025 08:06

It’s none of your business and it doesn’t even sound like you have the facts straight anyway.

PicaK · 22/07/2025 08:04

There's a difference between having a relationship with someone and being a single financial unit.
He can be round lots and stay over lots. But if he's not supporting her financially (other than cms) then they're still 2 separate units. If she's not washing his clothes, making too meals, etc etc then she's still existing on her own as far as benefits are concerned.
You need to be sure about how much financial support he's giving her before you drag away the benefits she has.
If he's paying council tax elsewhere and maintaining a home then her seeing him is not fraud.

OneNewLeader · 22/07/2025 08:01

Why do you need to poll people? Surely this is about your own sense of right and wrong.

Report because you know that this is happening and you think it’s wrong. Don’t report because you don’t know, for a fact it is.

JustMarriedBecca · 22/07/2025 08:01

Yes. If they aren't doing anything wrong then there's not an issue
If they are, they are taking benefits away from people that need them.

wineosaurusrex · 22/07/2025 08:01

You sound really spiteful. leave the poor woman alone

T1Dmom · 22/07/2025 08:00

You sound vile.

bullywee · 22/07/2025 07:59

Of course. It's theft - it's frankly our civic duty to do so. If you are incorrect then no harm will be done.

Avantiagain · 22/07/2025 07:56

Anyone that would 'report' in this situation has something wrong with them.

londongirl12 · 22/07/2025 07:36

It’s none of your business. You don’t know what she’s claiming. Focus on your own life.

cheercaptain · 22/07/2025 07:36

No. Besides only facts matter when reporting fraud, and you don't have any.

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