to have reported my "friend" for benefit fraud

[buttercupp]

ok so cant go into too much detail for obvious reasons but i have a friend (not know for long but lives near me) and i have been debating for a while now whether to report her or not for living with her partner who is also claiming as living alone.

so today i have done it finally after being fed up of hearing what other electrical applicance they have bought with the stupid amount of money they have been given when my DH is out at work slogging his guts out just to make ends meet.

The reason i havent done it before is like i say she is supposed to be my friend,we have had nights out together and she has a baby so have felt a bit bad in that respect too but i knew i had to do the right thing.
would i be a hypocrite to continue to be her friend or should i avoid her from now on? i do like the girl just dont agree with what she was doing.and anyone know what will happen now i have reported her?

Totally back you up personally, but don;t hold your breath...I've reported someone for drug dealing several times and nothing has ever been done about it.

Yes please, then I can hide the whole topic

Noone do you not know that banks are Gods and can do no wrong and do not report to anyone

Sorry but i hate banks i have no money so mine has decided to take money off me cos i have no money

We could call it the 'I don't pay my Taxes Topic'

I applaud your courage buttercup. Though your one act will not greatly affect the amount availible in the benefits 'pot' I hope others will be encouraged by your stand.
We are lucky in this country that we have a benefits system. I have travelled widely around the world and it is heartbreaking to see families living in a society where a social funding system is not in place. Mothers and Fathers work all the hours god sends, live in the most basic accomodation, know not of any 'luxuries' and when a child becomes ill, the few possesions a family owns often have to be sold to pay for treatment.
We are so lucky. Our children have access to medical care, and benefits to ensure they have an adequete amount of food and clothing. To abuse that privelige is dreadfully wrong.
There are people on benefits in this country, who by virtue of location, circumstance, disabilty, etc etc are absolutely unable to work to provide for the family. Though we would all love to receive a salary with no deductions (me included!) I understand that there are others less fortunate. I would probably be about £30 worse off a week, if I were to claim beneifts, but I'm lucky to have a job.
I should imagine in time, that Buttercups children will look back, see how hard their parents worked, and have complete respect and admiration for them. For the kids of parents who find it necessary to claim benefits (as I said above) they should also have respect for the various struggles they have seen their parents go through. Those groups are the kids who will hopefully truly appreciate everything they have.

To see someone 'stealing' from a society that endeavours to assist, makes anyones blood boil.
Because the benefits payment doesn't appear to 'belong' to anyone, it makes it easier for people to steal what is not rightfully theirs.
If you saw someone dipping in the purse of an elderly person for instance, would you just stand by? Would you want to associate with someone if you knew they were taking the odd tenner from Granny's purse, and then rubbing your nose in it? Who knows how low a benefit fraudsters standards plunge? Would they consider nicking the odd bottle of wine from your house ok, becuase you wouldn't miss it?
For someone defrauding the benefits system for a whole year probably equates to 1p per MN member. Doen't seem a lot? But it's till not right. Multiply that a few thousand times.
Hold your head high Buttercup. Your time will come, and you will reap the rewards of living an honest life.

I think if you were a friend you would tell her how uncomfortable you felt about her behaviour. Then, once you had it out then at least be brave enough to tell her what you have done and stand by your convictions.

You sound like the playground snitch.

If one of my friends (and by friends, I dont just mean someone I know casually) did this I would tell her to her face and tell her that if she didnt resolve it (and is there any way I could help her resolve it - such as domestic violence/ drug habit/mental health issues) I would have not choice but to report her as it goes against my beliefs.

I do hope you have never got a parking ticket, got given extra change or anything where someone called technically call you a theif and report you...

I find it hard to accept the name-calling and "Ooh, get you Miss Moral Majority" comments here.

Theft is theft.

If a friend wandered into unlocked houses to take things she liked but couldn't afford would you 'discuss options' with them?

Astounds me.

I would reconsider your friendship with her I couldnt be friends with someone who so obviously cheats the system and flaunts it.

You clearly have different moral values and lifestyle expectations.

BTW You would have been better reporting her to housing benefits than Income Support. They seem to do things quicker.

I cannot understand why the OP is being criticised. It was a courageous thing to do. Most of us are too cowardly to do it and, for that reason, the scroungers get away with it.

onadietcokebreak i filled in the online form on directgov....should i have done something else?

The OP is being criticised because some people don't believe fraud is wrong.....the same people I would imagine who knowingly buy stolen property and/or keep a bundle of banknotes they find on the street.

These threads do keep coming round, don't they?

emmanana, well said.

Just an observation that housing benefits would actually conduct an annual review which means a home visit on receipt of info like this. DWP would point score it and then decide if to investigate. If not enough points than they may pass it to "compliance" who would call them in for an office interview.

From experience of welfare benefits an interview at home by HB is more likely to result in someone reporting a change before visit. An interview in the Jobcentre is less likely to encourage that.

YABU I wouldn't do that to a 'friend'.

Agree Lovely post emmanana......

The amount of money the government loses through fraud and error is disgusting. No wonder this country is in trouble.

What about 'friends' who are self employed and fiddling their books? I know a fair few of them. Surely they are just as much 'scroungers'?

Yes of course they are jellybeans....still fraud.

Don't get me started on tax evading .... just how many people have a rant about "scummy benefit fraudsters" whilst thinking nothing of a bit of "creative accounting" to reduce their tax bill? That tax is OUR money!!!!!

It's alot easier for them to get away with it though probably. I know someone who freely admits that she puts things on her husbands expenses to get them free and other perks. They probably pay much less tax then they should.

Tax evasion and tax avoidance are two different things, the latter being legal. Benefit fraud is not legal in any form.

Why is everyone flaming the OP here.

She reported a crime, it's fraud, it's illegal, it pisses me and probably the vast majority of taxpayers off.

Why do you think this woman and her partner should not have been reported for this? If there's nothing awry, then there'll be no problems will there.

That said OP, you're not really her friend are you? Best just to let this "relationship" drift away I think

Benefit fraud is illegal. If these people were mugging old ladies you'd report them right? So why not report them for fraud? I have to admit I probably wouldn't report a friend but having it rubbed in your face is certainly difficult to swallow and I definately applaud your courage.

Tax evasion and tax avoidance are both stealing and morally wrong.

I just wished i lived in a country where people pick the moraly right option

YANBU OP.

Although can see why you feel a bit bad about reporting a friend, can totally see why you did it. Not only is she claiming benefits as single, but he actually works as well...?! They must be raking it in, which understandably pisses the hell out of you!

If she was going to cheat the system, she should have been a bit more discreet about it - although I for one am glad she wasn't, as all her boasting should ultimately come back to bite her firmly in the arse now....HA!