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Original poster

To be angry that a mutual friend is committing benefit fraud!

160 replies

166lady · 07/12/2025 07:44

Myself my husband and our toddler went on a soft play date with my husbands friend, his wife and 2 kids. My husband asked if his friends wife will be going back to work and she said she’s in no rush as she’s getting enough from universal credit to live happily.

My Husbands friend then added that she’s been off work for 2 years as she claimed they live separately (they don’t) and that she has no savings when they do.

I don’t know how much they were claiming but she suggested it was more than what she was getting in maternity pay! I feel angry as myself and everyone I know were scrambling for childcare to go back to work and earn again, and they’re living a fake life

OP posts:
Coconutter24 · 07/12/2025 10:15

Avantiagain · 07/12/2025 08:00

Report her or not. Your choice. No need to come on here to start some benefit bashing.

The haven’t come here to start ‘benefit bashing’ the post is about people fraudulently claiming benefits…. Those people deserve to be bashed!!

ToKittyornottoKitty · 07/12/2025 10:14

EmeraldShamrock000 · 07/12/2025 10:00

That's really strange to admit fraud to a virtual stranger.
Report if you think that they were being serious.
I have never met someone so open and I live in a working class area alongside a few benefit claimants.

How was her DH a virtual stranger? DH met with his friend and his friend told him about the benefit fraud.

EchoedSilence · 07/12/2025 10:11

GentleOlive · 07/12/2025 09:18

I’m afraid OP, most people on here won’t believe you, or will tell you it’s ok to commit be benefit because…cue a load of whataboutery. Because they condone benefit fraud. Wonder why. Someone should look into these people’s own benefit claims.

Edited

🙄

Celestialmoods · 07/12/2025 10:03

x2boys · 07/12/2025 07:58

Indeed ,if anyone was going to commit fraud why would they be stupid enough to boast about it🤔

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People look for validation to try and excuse themselves when they know they’re doing something wrong. It’s as if they tell someone and that person either admits they’re doing similar, or minimises it without pointing out the immorality, then it can’t be that bad.

I’ve had people ‘sound me out’ in the same way before under the mistaken assumption that I claim benefits.

Kuretake · 07/12/2025 10:03

What do you mean by mutual friend?

ToKittyornottoKitty · 07/12/2025 10:03

Why would they openly tell you are they are committing benefit fraud? Seems like an odd amount of detail to include too.

Report them if you want, it’s a clear cut case, so what do you need from mumsnet on this other than to encourage slagging off benefit claimants?

RaininSummer · 07/12/2025 10:02

HoneyParsnipSoup · 07/12/2025 09:57

It’s amazing to me that so many Mumsnetters think this sort of thing is rare.

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If she is reviewed they could see the money in there and then gone which will raise questions.

itsgettingweird · 07/12/2025 10:01

Yeah cos we all meet our spouses friends who blurt out they are commiting benefit fraud daily 🙄

Imbrocator · 07/12/2025 10:01

Given the shocking personal details almost complete strangers tell me because I smile and do a good job of being interested in what they’re saying I’m not surprised at all that friends have shared with the OP that they’re committing fraud.

The things that other people are prepared to admit to people who aren’t trusted confidantes are often so ludicrous in terms of how exposing/embarrassing/risky they are that people wouldn’t accept them if they were in a work of fiction.

If you’re bothered by what they’re doing OP, then report them.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 07/12/2025 10:00

That's really strange to admit fraud to a virtual stranger.
Report if you think that they were being serious.
I have never met someone so open and I live in a working class area alongside a few benefit claimants.

Ihatetomatoes · 07/12/2025 09:59

icantbelieveitsnotcake · 07/12/2025 09:54

Why have I been told by self employed people they are gleefully avoiding tax?

Because they are stupid. Do you not believe that some people are stupid?

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This too.

Hellohelga · 07/12/2025 09:59

Agree, report it.

Ihatetomatoes · 07/12/2025 09:58

HoneyParsnipSoup · 07/12/2025 07:44

Just report her.

This. Online. Anonymously. It's theft. Us taxpayers pay for this. Genuine claimants only, people are in genuine need, she's obviously not even slightly ashamed.

ThisQuirkyHare · 07/12/2025 09:58

ShanghaiDiva · 07/12/2025 09:52

But surely that only works if they are reported for potential benefit fraud?

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Not necessarily. The government is cracking down on benefit fraud and does spot checks out of the blue. So a brown envelope can land on your doorstep asking you to prove you're eligible. I know two people this has happened to out of the blue that sent them into a tailspin. Turns out one is correctly claiming, the other isn't and is now in a state of panic as to what will happen next.

It can absolutely land you on hot water out of nowhere. You don't have to be reported.

Also to add, I believe the government is now getting powers to go into your bank account to check transactions directly with your bank of you're claiming benefits.So they don't need to wait for you to provide bank statements. Not sure how that will work with data privacy but they seem to be pushing forward with it.

HoneyParsnipSoup · 07/12/2025 09:57

Applesinapie · 07/12/2025 09:55

Do they find out if you inherited money and then moved it? I have a friend who inherited 20k in the summer. It went in her bank and she moved it straight away into her dad’s account and spends it from there so as not to affect her universal credit.

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It’s amazing to me that so many Mumsnetters think this sort of thing is rare.

Applesinapie · 07/12/2025 09:55

Keepingongoing · 07/12/2025 08:06

The DWP will find out about the savings in due course through electronic checks and then your friend will be in big trouble.

IF this is a true story.

Do they find out if you inherited money and then moved it? I have a friend who inherited 20k in the summer. It went in her bank and she moved it straight away into her dad’s account and spends it from there so as not to affect her universal credit.

icantbelieveitsnotcake · 07/12/2025 09:54

Bambamhoohoo · 07/12/2025 09:52

To me this is the same as a friend confidentially leaving over to a non criminal friend and saying “I’m knackered, i was up all night robbing houses”

that’s why it’s so unbelievable

why would you go around telling everyone you’re committing fraud?!?

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Why have I been told by self employed people they are gleefully avoiding tax?

Because they are stupid. Do you not believe that some people are stupid?

bumptybum · 07/12/2025 09:54

x2boys · 07/12/2025 07:58

Indeed ,if anyone was going to commit fraud why would they be stupid enough to boast about it🤔

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You really don’t realise how stupid some people are.

yes it could be rage bait. But it could very easily just be a demonstration of how stupid people are

Emsie1987 · 07/12/2025 09:54

From experience people don’t get found out. Someone I know got away it for 10 years.

Burningbud1981 · 07/12/2025 09:53

If it is true they will be caught out when UC do a claim review. But if you want to report them

ShanghaiDiva · 07/12/2025 09:52

ThisQuirkyHare · 07/12/2025 09:48

Actually it's good to post it on here. It will give those who are doing it a glimpse into how easy it will be for them to land themselves in hot water. So it's a good thread to post.

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But surely that only works if they are reported for potential benefit fraud?

Bambamhoohoo · 07/12/2025 09:52

GentleOlive · 07/12/2025 09:18

I’m afraid OP, most people on here won’t believe you, or will tell you it’s ok to commit be benefit because…cue a load of whataboutery. Because they condone benefit fraud. Wonder why. Someone should look into these people’s own benefit claims.

Edited

To me this is the same as a friend confidentially leaving over to a non criminal friend and saying “I’m knackered, i was up all night robbing houses”

that’s why it’s so unbelievable

why would you go around telling everyone you’re committing fraud?!?

Sadcafe · 07/12/2025 09:51

Sadly more common than most of us probably think, annoys the life out of me and my kids, we know someone who claims the free childcare for working families for her two and nearly four year olds but sits in the house all day, supposedly working for her husbands company( she really doesn’t)

ThisQuirkyHare · 07/12/2025 09:48

ShanghaiDiva · 07/12/2025 09:46

Then OP should report it. What does starting a thread on here achieve?

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Actually it's good to post it on here. It will give those who are doing it a glimpse into how easy it will be for them to land themselves in hot water. So it's a good thread to post.