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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:
Bromptotoo · 12/12/2025 14:08

Two questions.

Have you broken UC rules by having undeclared bank accounts?

Answer would seem to be yes and you need to declare them now and produce statements.

Whether fraud is in play will depend on the amount in the accounts and the source. But if it's maintenance from kid's Dad, is spent as one would expect, and it's not accumulating so as to get over the £6/16k limits then I don't think you need to worry. I doubt they'll even raise an eyebrow.

Reviews are looking for irregularity, for example income that might be from cash in hand employment. If you've forgotten an account, or failed to disclose it when you opened it then, as I say above you'll be fine.

TeenageSu1cideDontDoit · 12/12/2025 14:07

snoopythebeagle · 12/12/2025 14:05

You’re missing the part where she receives cash gifts from her own father which she hasn’t declared or mentioned.

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Which is allowed.

BurntBroccoli · 12/12/2025 14:06

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.

It definitely was for Tax credits - not sure about Universal Credit.

Maddyisqueen · 12/12/2025 14:06

TheFormidableMrsC · 12/12/2025 14:03

Where did you make that up from? She is a single mum of 3 in receipt of maintenance. She has done nothing wrong here, however desperate some of you are to make that so.

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She was talking about her husband for the last few pages

WanderlustMom · 12/12/2025 14:06

They will ask why you didn’t declare the other accounts and ask for some bank statements from them to ensure you wasn’t hiding any money, but child maintenance is disregarded anyway so as long as there’s no other income going into it then nothing will come of it

AngelicKaty · 12/12/2025 14:05

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.

You're correct OP, CM is disregarded for UC so you have not received any more UC than you're entitled to and therefore you have not committed fraud. I would say, however, that for the sake of transparency you should have declared all your bank accounts otherwise it could look like you're trying to hide something (when you aren't!).

snoopythebeagle · 12/12/2025 14:05

TheFormidableMrsC · 12/12/2025 14:03

Where did you make that up from? She is a single mum of 3 in receipt of maintenance. She has done nothing wrong here, however desperate some of you are to make that so.

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You’re missing the part where she receives cash gifts from her own father which she hasn’t declared or mentioned.

TheFormidableMrsC · 12/12/2025 14:04

Maddyisqueen · 12/12/2025 14:01

She will have to pay back any of the money she hasn’t told them about that isn’t disregarded

her husband and her are married and she’s calling it child maintenance which is incorrect

and don’t be so rude

Edited
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I’ll be as rude as I like to somebody who is salivating at the thought of OP being in trouble for doing absolutely nothing wrong. Grow up.

Boomer55 · 12/12/2025 14:04

If you hide bank accounts, they find out through the bank and tax office, and it’s considered fraud if you don’t declare them.

Tell them now, you may have an overpayment, and it will have to be paid back, but that should be it.

I used to work for them, and I assume it’s the same now.

Kirbert2 · 12/12/2025 14:04

Maddyisqueen · 12/12/2025 14:01

She will have to pay back any of the money she hasn’t told them about that isn’t disregarded

her husband and her are married and she’s calling it child maintenance which is incorrect

and don’t be so rude

Edited
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Only if the money her dad sometimes gives her is a large amount. They really won't be interested otherwise as small, infrequent cash gifts are also disregarded.

Maddyisqueen · 12/12/2025 14:04

No, you can't simply declare money from your married partner as child maintenance for Universal Credit (UC) to avoid it affecting your claim
, as UC treats married couples living together as a single household, and your partner's income is considered; however, genuine child maintenance from the other parent (not your spouse) is disregarded and doesn't reduce UC, but money your partner gives you is generally seen as household income or income for the couple, which does affect your UC calculation unless you're genuinely separated.

snoopythebeagle · 12/12/2025 14:04

Kirbert2 · 12/12/2025 13:59

As long as it isn't large amounts, I can't imagine UC making a fuss over it.

If we're talking thousands of pounds etc then of course, that's different.

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It also depends how quickly it’s being spent. If her dad (for example) sends her 10k and she spends it right away, that’ll be looked at very differently to the odd £50 here and there being kept for birthdays.

AnneShirleyBlythe · 12/12/2025 14:04

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.

It is! So you should declare the accounts to keep yourself right but it won’t make a difference to how much you get in UC.

TheFormidableMrsC · 12/12/2025 14:03

Maddyisqueen · 12/12/2025 14:01

She will have to pay back any of the money she hasn’t told them about that isn’t disregarded

her husband and her are married and she’s calling it child maintenance which is incorrect

and don’t be so rude

Edited
Show quote history

Where did you make that up from? She is a single mum of 3 in receipt of maintenance. She has done nothing wrong here, however desperate some of you are to make that so.

bigboykitty · 12/12/2025 14:03

@Boxedin2431 if you're still reading, please ignore those salivating over you possibly getting into trouble. They need to step away from the Daily Mail. As you say, CM is disregarded for UC. I'm sure it will all be fine.

snoopythebeagle · 12/12/2025 14:03

P00kyW00ky · 12/12/2025 14:01

Reported. Dont be a cow

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😂😂

ladyamy · 12/12/2025 14:03

Cosyblankets · 12/12/2025 12:42

Why is one of them in a middle name?

I wondered that too

Maddyisqueen · 12/12/2025 14:01

TheFormidableMrsC · 12/12/2025 13:57

Fucksake. No she will not. Maintenance is disregarded.

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She will have to pay back any of the money she hasn’t told them about that isn’t disregarded

her husband and her are married and she’s calling it child maintenance which is incorrect

and don’t be so rude

TeenageSu1cideDontDoit · 12/12/2025 14:01

Maddyisqueen · 12/12/2025 13:53

This

of Course it’s fraud as you’ve done it intentionally

they can see all your bank accounts btw - that’s prob why you have a review

I would think money you recieve for maintenance of course applies

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This is complete and utter bullshit! No DWP can't see your accounts, CM is disregarded, and she has not defrauded anyone. Stop making shit up to wind people up.

Hoppinggreen · 12/12/2025 14:01

Idontknowwhy15 · 12/12/2025 13:50

Well actually, I hope this post has helped the OP because she has done NOTHING WRONG and therefore doesn’t need to be anxious.

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2 undeclared bank accounts, one in a different name?
Yeah, right

P00kyW00ky · 12/12/2025 14:01

snoopythebeagle · 12/12/2025 12:28

Yes, this is benefit fraud and hopefully they throw the book at you for it.

Reported. Dont be a cow

TheFormidableMrsC · 12/12/2025 14:00

Maddyisqueen · 12/12/2025 13:53

This

of Course it’s fraud as you’ve done it intentionally

they can see all your bank accounts btw - that’s prob why you have a review

I would think money you recieve for maintenance of course applies

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Everybody gets a review at some point. It is not fraud. Maintenance is disregarded. This is such a non issue and all the “experts” on here who haven’t done 2 minutes basic research are spreading misinformation.

Kirbert2 · 12/12/2025 13:59

snoopythebeagle · 12/12/2025 13:58

You have to declare them anyway though, that’s the issue. It might not count but the fact that OP hasn’t been honest is what’s going to be the issue.

UC can also decide that spending cash gifts and not declaring is a way of hiding income and keeping your benefits when you shouldn’t (of course that all depends on the amounts OP is receiving).

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As long as it isn't large amounts, I can't imagine UC making a fuss over it.

If we're talking thousands of pounds etc then of course, that's different.

KilkennyCats · 12/12/2025 13:59

Pereniallyannoyed · 12/12/2025 13:26

Because I cannot see how it is fair that someone who has either several children and/or several fathers of children, or an ex who earns loads and therefore is in receipt of significant maintenance should also then receive help from the state, versus someone where perhaps there are two parents not earning loads but just on the threshold where they are not able to claim from the state, and who also cannot afford to have more children as a result.
Seems incredibly unfair to me. Income is income.

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Oh, I totally agree with you!
I misinterpreted your response to the other post.

snoopythebeagle · 12/12/2025 13:59

TheFormidableMrsC · 12/12/2025 13:57

Fucksake. No she will not. Maintenance is disregarded.

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Maintenance might be disregarded but she is also receiving money from her own father which she hasn’t declared.

It may not impact her claim but she’s supposed to declare all cash gifts.

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