If you knew someone was committing benefit fraud would you report them?

[Chloefairydust]

If you knew of someone who was committing benefit fraud, and had been for the past 7 years would you report them? Let’s say for example this person has been bragging about claiming benefits (I’m assuming child benefits and universal tax benefit, potentially benefits toward housing too) during this time and hasn’t declared assets that she has in that she actually owns a house she shared with her ex. She’s been bragging about seeing a solicitor who’s told her she’s owed a substantial amount of money from having her name on the mortgage while saying shes thinking of a way to claim the money from the house without alerting the benefits people (she also bragged about how she never payed a penny towards the bills or mortgage when she lived with said ex, she seemed quite smug by the thought of getting her hands on his hard earned cash🤨) … I was quite shocked and didn’t want to judge but it just didn’t seem morally right to me… If it makes any difference she’s not worked in about 6 years either with no interest in getting a job 😕

Is this benefit fraud? And what is the moral thing to do here? turn a blind eye and accept she’s claiming money she’s not entitled to? Or to report? I have never reported anyone for anything, and I try really hard not to judge other people, so I’m struggling morally with what’s the right thing to do now…

Would she be in lots of trouble or would she just get the benefits stopped? What would you do?

Pensioners and people in work make up the vast majority of households claiming benefits.

But yeah, let's punish those lazy bastards sitting at home on their arses....

How? You don't have to give your details when you report someone for fraud. And if you had to, there's nothing to stop yo giving false details.

You don't sound like you understand benefit rules and regulations terribly well so on that basis alone reporting her is a waste of everyone's time - it's not clear from your garbled account of her actions that she is committing fraud.

I don’t agree with it, but I wouldn’t report it. You don’t have all of the facts.

I absolutely wouldn’t. The whole rhetoric the “benefit fraudsters” are responsible for the broken benefits system is a red herring peddled by the press. You are aiming your frustration at the wrong place. You have no idea of this woman’s real circumstances - I would stay out of it.

Yes I would report and I have reported somebody previously. I live in Ireland where our benefits system is very generous and open to abuse. I reported somebody who was claiming single parent benefit. She was receiving 1000 towards her rent and 204 a week for her child. She had a medical card so free health care, help with back to school costs and loads of other help. Her partner now DH was working abroad earning 8k a month. They now have a beautiful home worth 500k and a brand new BMW and have just returned from New York where they celebrated their daughters 13th birthday. Who says crime doesn't pay..

I'm not clear on what fraud has been committed? You can claim benefits if you own property. Unless she's renting she would not have been able to claim anything towards housing costs, so that's an assumption you can forget. If seh's not working, she's entitled to claim out of work benefits. If she is working, there are also benefits she's entitled to. And she'd have to be on a pretty good wage to not be entitled to child benefit.

By your own admission @Chloefairydust you don't understand the benefits system. Your post seems to bear this out. I can't see that she's claiming anything she's not entitled to. If you reported her for the reasons you state, the DWP would find no case to answer.

Your post does whiff a bit of vindictiveness, however. Has this person done something to upset you?

I try really hard not to judge other people

Really?!

OP said she is claiming as a lone parent when she has a partner living with her. So could be fraud into the thousands but she Doesn't say what the partner does for an income though... depends on partner income/benefits.

Here's and example of what could happen.

My family member was reported for benefit fraud 8 years ago. Claiming single parent income support, tax credits on 3 children and full housing and council tax benefit under her maiden name. Whilst being married to someone working full time on a decent wage (who bullshitted that he knew nothing about it then left her).

She was convicted in court of fraud to the tune of £64,000 over 4 years. Given a 26 week prison sentence suspended for 18months (purely because of the children and her mother being disabled)and ordered to pay back at a rate of £5 a week to come put of her eligible benefits.

No. I’d stay out of it.

In my working class family the idea of claiming benefits was intensely shameful. Something you would only do if your only alternative was starving. I don’t envy anyone who thinks their best option is claiming benefits. I don’t envy anyone who has never supported themselves.

I’d leave them to it and continue with my life. People like this aren’t the reason the country’s a disaster.

It's funny how these benefits cheat threads always feature someone who "brags" about their shady activities and discloses all their financial information to acquaintances.

Yes I would.

Amazing how much people brag according to mumsnet. I've never encountered it IRL.

I'd go with this too, her income is zero and has been for the last seven years.
My landlord claims benefits, she's a single parent and works two days a week, she owns my flat and her house. She is honest about the amount of rent this brings in and that still keeps her below the threshold.
Do you think that maybe people like you looking down on her for claiming benefits or not working makes her feel the need to declare that she actually has a share of a house to make her fell less shit about herself?
I would wonder whether your idea of bragging is her defending herself against your judgement.
I pay tax too and I don't feel entitled to kick other people.

Not if they had children because court and prison for parents who are non-violent won't benefit the children.

There's millions in unclaimed benefits every year so it's not a cash issue, and as for morality unless you're a danger to others I leave you be.

Definitely not. The establishment are the frauds. Most people on benefits are struggling. Those evading paying tax on their millions, less so. But the media have you angry at the poor.

And yes, I would report her.

She’s a thief and a liar. Dress it up any which way you want, but she is taking something she isn’t entitled to.

Klipe? Is that a new word?!

Good idea but the problem with that, is if anybody else then decides to report her, she will think it's OP

Yes, if it knew it was definitely fraud, without hesitation.

Never have done but if I was 100% certain it was fraud, yes.

It’s Scottish.

YABU. Mind your own business, you don’t even know which benefits she’s claiming.

Depends.

If it was say a single mother who I knew was genuinely hard up and was doing a few hours of cash in hand cleaning on the side to top up benefits or her PAYE job: NO.

If it were someone who was claiming benefits for loads of kids, pretending to be a single mother when in fact they were living with their DC's dad who had a well paying job: I MIGHT DO - depends on how much they were splashing the cash or bragging and if I liked them or not.

Someone claiming benefits in different or multiple identities or for non existent children: DEFINITELY

Someone claiming to be sick or disabled and claiming PIP when they were perfectly well: ALSO DEFINITELY. It's people like them that have made it so difficult for genuinely disabled people to get benefits.

No, I wouldn't purposely go out to ruin someone's life for no good reason. I would only report someone who was doing something that actually harms others. Apart from that, none of my business.