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AIBU?

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Original poster

Have I committed fraud?

586 replies

Boxedin2431 · 12/12/2025 12:25

I am a single mum to three.

I have a UC review and bank statements are due.
I have three bank accounts and two I have not declared.
The two bank accounts I have not declared get child maintenance paid in from my children’s dads, respectively.
I have not had any other income apart from the maintenance and some help from my dad sometimes.
i transfer money between all three.
Two bank accounts are in my birth name, the third is in my middle name.

Am I in trouble when I declare them?

I only have UC, child benefit into the one I have declared.
i have child maintenance into one bank account and another child maintenance into the other bank account.

Shall I include 6 month statement for all three?

OP posts:
XenoBitch · 12/12/2025 20:09

Roobarbtwo · 12/12/2025 20:07

But she's on Uc. And the issue is that she's not building up savings that she hasn't declared. Why are people being so nit picky. Someone has posted for advice and they are getting nothing but pulled apart

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A benefits thread in AIBU. It was bound to happen. But OP has got accurate advice. There is no need for her to worry. Doesn't stop people sticking the boot in.

Roobarbtwo · 12/12/2025 20:07

Franjipanl8r · 12/12/2025 20:01

“I spend every penny every month” is most people.

Show quote history

But she's on Uc. And the issue is that she's not building up savings that she hasn't declared. Why are people being so nit picky. Someone has posted for advice and they are getting nothing but pulled apart

starrynight009 · 12/12/2025 20:07

They'll notice that you're transferring money across accounts. I was asked about that sort of thing. Far better to declare them and not get into trouble.

XenoBitch · 12/12/2025 20:05

CockSpadget · 12/12/2025 20:00

I suggest you check out the facts of the NEW bill that was passed LAST WEEK, before giving out misinformation. We aren’t talking historical, we are talking current. They have spent billions on these systems to find and recover money. Do your research.

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Could you post a link about this?
I am not saying you are making it up... just that it sounds interesting (and worrying).

Edit - just saw you did. Thanks

XenoBitch · 12/12/2025 20:03

Franjipanl8r · 12/12/2025 20:01

“I spend every penny every month” is most people.

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The point OP is making is that she has no savings. The fact that it is "most people" is irrelevant.
The reviews are to check for capital and income. OP has no capital.

Franjipanl8r · 12/12/2025 20:01

Boxedin2431 · 12/12/2025 12:29

I thought that child maintenance was disregarded.
Will I get into trouble for this? There are no savings, every penny is spent every month.

“I spend every penny every month” is most people.

CockSpadget · 12/12/2025 20:00

ForWittyTealOP · 12/12/2025 18:41

No "they're" not, don't be silly. It's really common for people to have accounts they've forgotten to mention or didn't know they had to. When UC started asking for PayPal statements we had a big headache at work figuring out how to print them because nobody ever saw them as bank accounts to declare and there wasn't a natural way to do it!
Honestly, people must be bored making up all this cloak and dagger business. A DWP investigator is not hiding under anyone's bed!

Show quote history

I suggest you check out the facts of the NEW bill that was passed LAST WEEK, before giving out misinformation. We aren’t talking historical, we are talking current. They have spent billions on these systems to find and recover money. Do your research.

Roobarbtwo · 12/12/2025 20:00

Muttley17 · 12/12/2025 19:57

Not once was I ever asked how many bank accounts I possessed during a UC review. I worked and all a review was for was to check if my situation had changed and to check I was still getting the relevant benefits due to me. The only time I was asked about my bank account was when I first made a claim and they asked for my account details of the bank I’d like to be paid into.

People are being asked to hand over bank statements as part of UC reviews. It's because of the fraudulent claims that were made during lock down

Muttley17 · 12/12/2025 19:57

Not once was I ever asked how many bank accounts I possessed during a UC review. I worked and all a review was for was to check if my situation had changed and to check I was still getting the relevant benefits due to me. The only time I was asked about my bank account was when I first made a claim and they asked for my account details of the bank I’d like to be paid into.

Roobarbtwo · 12/12/2025 19:55

Overtheatlantic · 12/12/2025 19:50

There’s no need for anyone to come after me. I did read the entire original post. I’m not aware that it’s possible to raise three children without some kind of employment. That’s simply me being unfamiliar with the benefits system, and I was entirely reasonable to ask my question.

Your post was nasty. Asking if one of the accounts was hiding a salary. If you post something like that prepare to be corrected - and sorry what? You don't think people who aren't in employment can raise 3 kids?

Roobarbtwo · 12/12/2025 19:53

MummyWillow1 · 12/12/2025 19:44

I don’t know if it is or not. But if you didn’t tell them about it then it is fraud.

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No. It is not fraud not to tell the dwp about other bank accounts. As I said previously there are many people who live chaotic lifestyles and have mental health issues who haven't declared all their bank accounts. It is only fraud if you have a significant amount of savings that the dwp don't know about

If someone has less than 6k savings they are completely fine

AngelicKaty · 12/12/2025 19:53

MummyWillow1 · 12/12/2025 19:44

I don’t know if it is or not. But if you didn’t tell them about it then it is fraud.

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Oh dear God, not another one! 🙄Child maintenance payments are disregarded as income when calculating UC entitlement, as are small, infrequent gifts from family, and OP has not committed fraud! She has received the UC she's entitled to.

CottonCandyCake · 12/12/2025 19:53

No, I did this, I had a mondo account I never use and two savings accounts that were offshoots of my main bank account. I went back to them with the new details and they were fine. I was also worried about child maintenance but they disregarded that.

Overtheatlantic · 12/12/2025 19:50

There’s no need for anyone to come after me. I did read the entire original post. I’m not aware that it’s possible to raise three children without some kind of employment. That’s simply me being unfamiliar with the benefits system, and I was entirely reasonable to ask my question.

bittertwisted · 12/12/2025 19:49

MummyWillow1 · 12/12/2025 19:44

I don’t know if it is or not. But if you didn’t tell them about it then it is fraud.

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This is exhausting
it is not fraud

AngelicKaty · 12/12/2025 19:44

Overtheatlantic · 12/12/2025 19:27

Does one of the accounts include the OP’s salary?

In OP's first post: "The two bank accounts I have not declared get child maintenance paid in from my children’s dads, respectively.
I have not had any other income apart from the maintenance and some help from my dad sometimes." Didn't you read it?

MummyWillow1 · 12/12/2025 19:44

Boxedin2431 · 12/12/2025 12:29

I thought that child maintenance was disregarded.
Will I get into trouble for this? There are no savings, every penny is spent every month.

I don’t know if it is or not. But if you didn’t tell them about it then it is fraud.

Roobarbtwo · 12/12/2025 19:41

YourLoyalPlumOP · 12/12/2025 19:34

I don’t think you’ll get into trouble. But they might be a little cross that you didn’t declare it

youre not looking at jail time or whatever that poster put on you.

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I don't think they'll care much. Plenty of people make mistakes.

Roobarbtwo · 12/12/2025 19:40

Overtheatlantic · 12/12/2025 19:27

Does one of the accounts include the OP’s salary?

You do know that millions of people in work claim Uc and that in most cases earnings are reported automatically to the dwp? This is beginning to sound a bit benefit bashy tbh

YourLoyalPlumOP · 12/12/2025 19:34

Boxedin2431 · 12/12/2025 13:05

Thank you for all of your replies 😪

I don’t think you’ll get into trouble. But they might be a little cross that you didn’t declare it

youre not looking at jail time or whatever that poster put on you.

Kirbert2 · 12/12/2025 19:34

Overtheatlantic · 12/12/2025 19:27

Does one of the accounts include the OP’s salary?

Is that your way of asking if OP has a job?

Overtheatlantic · 12/12/2025 19:27

Does one of the accounts include the OP’s salary?

Roobarbtwo · 12/12/2025 19:25

Newyearawaits · 12/12/2025 19:22

This really surprises me.
So if a claimant is receiving thousands in cms, that doesn't affect amount of uc?
In this case, uc claimants are getting a very good deal.

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Or maybe they are just getting money they are entitled to. Money for their child. Uc is hardly a fortune - and plenty of women don't get thousands in child mainly

Roobarbtwo · 12/12/2025 19:23

ForWittyTealOP · 12/12/2025 18:41

No "they're" not, don't be silly. It's really common for people to have accounts they've forgotten to mention or didn't know they had to. When UC started asking for PayPal statements we had a big headache at work figuring out how to print them because nobody ever saw them as bank accounts to declare and there wasn't a natural way to do it!
Honestly, people must be bored making up all this cloak and dagger business. A DWP investigator is not hiding under anyone's bed!

Show quote history

There are some people on UC who live chaotic lifestyles and have mental health issues and who haven't declared every bank account they have. The dwp aren't trying to catch people out - they are only wanting to know that someone's claim isn't fraudulent

I didn't declare an ISA around a decade ago. I didn't realise I needed to and there was hardly any money in it. I declared it and there were no problems at all