Someone told the council he'd been doing some work for us and accused him of benefit fraud. We had two housing benefit officers round this afternoon, asking us about him.
Yes, he had helped do some redecorating/refurbishing. No we had not paid him.
The worst thing is, this friend had a brain haemorhage a few years ago and if he doesn't get out and about, he just vegetates at home. He is highly skilled, but he can't work; you have to keep an eye on him - has he had a drink, does he need food, does he need a rest etc. He can't do more than a couple of hours at a time without his brain becoming exhausted: if you ask him if he'd like a drink he says "I don't know" and he doesn't.
His family are surviving - just. One of his children has special needs and behavioural problems, the other has emotional issues to do with the awful thing that happened to her dad. His wife is a good honest woman who is doing her best. Used to work her socks off trying to keep the family together, but eventually had to give up work due to strain, exhaustion and depression.
This is a family battling with dreadful circumstances, and just doing their best. They are an example to everyone with their tenacity, their goodwill, their hard work, their honesty, their kindness, their generosity.
And someone who knows them thought it was a good idea to report the poor guy. And they didn't even know whether he was being paid. They made it up. It makes me sick.