AIBU to wonder how many people on here have committed benefit fraud to survive?

[Heretodaygoneforgood]

I know this won’t end well but...

If you can’t pay the bills, feed your kids and buy them Christmas presents and someone offers you cash in hand to do a bit of work for them, do you do it? And still claim benefits?

That’s tax fraud rather than benefit fraud isn’t it? I suppose it’s both. I wouldn’t judge anyone on the breadline doing this, no.

A one off of a few hundred quid? Absolutely do it.

Doing it every month and not declaring it - not on

I’m not sure cash in hand is much of a thing any more. Quite an antique notion.

I don't claim benefits so this is hypothetical but yes, I would.

Benefits are really low so I don't see a problem with earning a few hundred quid cash in hand as a one off to make life a little easier and get a few treats to have some enjoyment. I wouldn't class that as benefit fraud (although I know the DWP would). Life on benefits is hard.

I absolutely have a problem with what I consider real benefit fraud where people are benefit scrounging while working cash in hand regularly.

@GroundAlmonds are you kidding? Most cleaners I've had are cash in hand. Many tradespeople I know are happy to give a cash price too.
I've never done it but I'm pretty sure my handyman doesn't declare his earnings (but he doesn't claim benefits either). Bet my single mother cleaner, who has a part time job, also doesn't declare it. I don't know whether she gets benefits but I think she does.

At the moment, cash in hand for emergency childcare is quite common around where I live.

I’ve never done it, but I’m in the fortunate position where I’ve never needed to, but I would absolutely not judge anyone who did this as a one off when times were hard.

I would!

If it was the only way I could feed DS I would do it. I would do almost anything if I had literally no other option.

[quote Pipandmum]@GroundAlmonds are you kidding? Most cleaners I've had are cash in hand. Many tradespeople I know are happy to give a cash price too.
I've never done it but I'm pretty sure my handyman doesn't declare his earnings (but he doesn't claim benefits either). Bet my single mother cleaner, who has a part time job, also doesn't declare it. I don't know whether she gets benefits but I think she does.[/quote]
Yes ISWYM, but that’s self employment really, isn’t it?

So then it’s up to the contractor to declare everything. For tax and benefits both.

The thing is, where do you draw the line? There isn't just "a one-off job for cash in hand" and "doing it every month and not declaring it". What happens if that one-off job turns into a second one, and you keep building up slowly? Where's the cutoff point of what is acceptable?

Nice try DWP (I haven't)

I would

No. Instead I try to save 20% of what I earn, work numerous jobs and have options to make money in other ways.

I think it's disgusting. I regularly see people fiddling the system at work and I have no respect or empathy for them.
They do it once, all scared and worried. Then they get used to it. The worst part they feel entitled to it. Just because most politicians are corrupt and waste tax payers money on expenses and whatever doesn't mean you too should. It's morally wrong. Very few people know real poverty in this country. They want to spend like everyone else but can't or won't do much to get the money.
The resources wasted on bringing them to right as well is just eye watering.
Whenever I get asked to pay a trades person, recently window cleaner, cash in hand i feel so uncomfortable. God knows what they actually declare.
I see them at work, feeling hard done by and blame everyone like immigrants for their lives and choices. It's always someone else's fault why they fuck up again and again and how they deservde more without actually putting in anything good back into the world.

@GroundAlmonds

Very much alive and kicking. It's normal for tradesmen even our removals company offered us a cash price. Pretty sure my hairdresser who works from her home, my beauty person who works from home etc don't declare though as they are married with working husbands I don't think they get benefits

I think some posters are mistaking “cash in hand” and “paying in cash”. Just because someone takes cash it doesn’t automatically mean they’re committing benefit fraud...

FFS why do people persist in this misconception that accepting payment in cash (or even offering incentives for cash) is fraudulent!?

It is fine to take payment in cash, lots of freelancers do it and declare every penny but cash is preferable for many entirely legitimate reasons.

Paying cash saves on card processing fees and bank charges, it saves taking time to go to the bank to pay in cheques or withdraw cash, it means you have petty cash available for business expenses some of which may require payment in cash, it means you have cash available to pay wages and suppliers, etc etc etc.

@PillowPrincess I completely agree with you. Someone I know pleades absolute poverty but owns a horse. Both her and her husband claims benefits.

And lo, the benefit bashing begins with posters telling tales of all the fiddlers they know.

Benefit fraud accounts for just 2% of the overall welfare spend, it is nowhere near as rife as some people seem to think it is.

I would. If i had to choose between providing for my child or starving honourably, I'd scam anything.

@AgentProvocateur

I’ve never done it, but I’m in the fortunate position where I’ve never needed to, but I would absolutely not judge anyone who did this as a one off when times were hard.

I completely agree. I think the villification of people who commit benefit fraud, or low-level tax fraud is ridiculous. Most of the time when people who don't have a lot of money suddenly get some, they'll usually spend it (on essentials and/or on servicing debts etc), which in turn keeps the economy moving. When rich people acquire more money, they tend to save it or invest it (or send it overseas), then it doesn't. As per usual, I think we tend to villify the wrong people here.